EBI4: Over the top Defense, or Overconfidence?

Obviously, You can't give a leg to Eddie Cummings. No if, ands, or buts, he will take it home.

But I noticed Miyao and Soto both had HIGH level defense of footlocks, but almost no attempt whatsoever as defending the leglock positions. Put Miyao in a heel hook, he doesn't tap, but it seemed Soto had no issue GETTING a heel hook on Miyao. Same with the first several minutes with Eddie, Soto just... stuck his feet where they had no business being. Apart from a psychological tactic, do you feel this is just supreme confidence that they can't be tapped with footlocks, and have never met someone like Eddie?

Would they have won if they had kept the feet away and played a top game instead? Speculation, but you have to wonder...

I kinda got the vibe that Soto was just there to have a good time and challenge himself in another way. I'm not sure he had his heart set on winning the damn thing but idk with 20k on the line he might have. He did seem very patient and also light hearted throughout his matches. I don't know if he would be able to avoid Cummings leg lock game either way tho, I mean i doesn't seem like anyone else can, gary had to deal with it in EBI3.

Like Cummings said, Soto obviously had a greater knowledge of leg locks than anyone would have thought, surprisingly because he is a mma fighter and you don't see a lot of leg lock experts getting in the cage, but Soto also had some nice leg lock attempts of his own and he did catch Fyvie in a heel hook in his first match. kinda odd he made it to the finals with just one sub but never the less.

I do wonder if Geo and Miyao were able to soften Soto up a lil bit before he got to Cummings but i dont' want to take away from Cumming either, he obviously has that shit down to a science. Gary prolly knows how defend his shit better than anyone on this planet right now but he's the only one i've seen walk outta that fire.

Soto felt he was well prepared on footlocks. I talked to his corner afterward and they genuinely felt surprised Soto was tapped via a leg lock; they didn't think it could happen. His camp spent extensive time training him to defend all leg locks. Soto was caught on a counter to a counter attack - one his camp didn't anticipate.

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Originally Posted by scottross

Soto felt he was well prepared on footlocks. I talked to his corner afterward and they genuinely felt surprised Soto was tapped via a leg lock; they didn't think it could happen. His camp spent extensive time training him to defend all leg locks. Soto was caught on a counter to a counter attack - one his camp didn't anticipate.

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Interesting. yeah that doesn't surprise me.

And Miyao is definitely very comfortable eating heel hooks. We might see if Eddie will be enough of a surgeon to tap Miyao anyways. Another thing is the psychology. The Miyaos and the Mendes bros as far as I know have made premeditated decisions to not tap to heel hooks. Cobrinha hurt Rafa on an inside heel hook pretty good at an ADCC a few years back and Rafa just took it.

It'll be interesting to see what Cummings does with a few flexible/stubborn people in his division. Cobrinha, Joao Miyao, Jeff Glover, and Justin Rader are all incredibly flexible and/or too stubborn to have tapped so far to them. I think Cummings can get into some nasty leglock positions on everyone on that list minus Cobrinha, and I think Miyao and Glover might even willingly go there with Cummings and trade foot locks. Maybe Cummings doesn't even need a B game though.

Cobrinha is the one guy I could see that might be able to just pass Cummings and avoid getting his legs tangled up at all. IMO Cobrinha might be the most underrated nogi guard passer of all time. Also I've heard stories where he actually trained with completely torn ACLs so there was nothing to heel hook. But I think his knees are fine now.

Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

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Originally Posted by Mike Nall

Also I've heard stories where he actually trained with completely torn ACLs so there was nothing to heel hook. But I think his knees are fine now.

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Lol one day this might be everyone's go-to strategy for dealing with palhares. I'll wreck my own legs before he gets a chance to.

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Originally Posted by Pan

Lol one day this might be everyone's go-to strategy for dealing with palhares. I'll wreck my own legs before he gets a chance to.

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I've always wondered if that's a legit strategy. Seems like super high level guys don't tap to heel hooks as often as armbars

Cummings heel hooks add a joint lock element to though, similar to the toe hold. It looks like it'll break the foot, then the ACL. Also even if these top level guys don't tap, doesn't their leg get SHATTERED? Not sure on the physiology of the heelhook, but I can't imagine walking on a destroyed leg never mind continuing to grapple.