I'm curious to see which paths people have the most success with when it comes to MMA. I've had the most success with the meathook in MMA until recently. I've used Dead Orchard for years but depended more on my long legs rather than working on different shoulder trap methods. I started putting more effort into shoulder trap stuff like Muddy Waters or even just driving a knuckle into his neck to bait his arm so I can grab wrist control and drag his elbow across my center-line to set up dead orchard that way or look for Muddy Waters. I heard in the FloGrappling 3 part doc (When Eddie was talking to Derek Rayfield) that he should work the stuff they've been working with Killa B so I started trying to not just be a dead orcherd-er. I had trouble with Dead Orchard in my last MMA fight not because my glove was stuck but because I had been depending on my long legs for so long and not working enough of the shoulder trap stuff so when he kept those elbows tucked and strong, I struggled to trap the shoulder. I like going Meathook even when I'm not in New Jersey from the start with MMA, had success with it in my last MMA fight in november and it led to a triangle then armbar which he escaped because I rushed it, I still took no damage except for 1 or 2 punches as I transitioned to the triangle but I think I could have finished a lot cleaner if I had set up the dead orchard better and could have avoided those 1 or 2 punches that could have ended the fight if he got me in the right spots.
Lately I'm loving New York - Gag Reflex (I think that's its name) - Drag his wrist through when he defends to set up my shoulder trap and I'm using less meathook unless I'm looking to clear the head for gogo clinch. Meathook to triangle is legit but triangles can sometimes be a good spot to get pounded on so I've been focusing more on arm attacks. I was working more invisible collar stuff until I injured my knee at my last competition so I've been very one sided with my RG game since and not double bagging a huge amount.
Lately I'm loving New York - Gag Reflex (I think that's its name) - Drag his wrist through when he defends to set up my shoulder trap and I'm using less meathook unless I'm looking to clear the head for gogo clinch. Meathook to triangle is legit but triangles can sometimes be a good spot to get pounded on so I've been focusing more on arm attacks. I was working more invisible collar stuff until I injured my knee at my last competition so I've been very one sided with my RG game since and not double bagging a huge amount.