Cage takedowns

[ScottRay]

Takedowns are a huge part of Mma. I figured I would start a thread where we discussed positions and takedowns from the cage. Any cage tactics are good. I wanna know what your doing from there, striking, takedowns, positional changes. Whatever... Any experienced Mma fighter have something to share?

[Rockanrollin]

We had a great class in take down defense against the cage tonight at wcft. Position our hips and legs where we are not flat against the cage. use the wizzer and pry against the jaw with the forearm or the fist and turn them around. Or push the back of the head down with the elbow and make them kiss the mat. You got to be ready to go to war to take down an experienced mma fighter against the cage. I think knees and dirty boxing and head position would get more points and use less energy till you wear them out and find a advantage or weakness.

[ScottRay]

I like the basic underhook and good head positioning to control against the cage. Leaves an open hand to punch and has great control. Knee the inside thighs or footstomp to coax a leg away from the cage if he has perfect leg defense(legs and heels against the cage). So lets say the near leg (underhook side) is away from the cage. From there I prefer the outside leg trip. I use 2 variations of it (on and off the cage) depending on the placement of his weight. If his weight is on the leg your trapping, then you do the standard heavy version, taking him over the trapped leg.
If his weight is on the far leg (one you don't have trapped) then I do more of a sweeping of the leg or a reap (reap from judo not reap the knee).

That was all available because his near leg was AWAY from the cage. If it weren't, and the other leg instead was away the cage which is vulnerable.. I'll do a running knee/ankle-pick along the cage. There's an awesome inside leg trip there as well, but it lands you in a posture down guard. In a 10th planet gym, that gets you tapped.. But it's a very high percentage takedown if you are not worried about his guard.


I just wanted to start it off. Someone chime in please, I'm very curious to learn more about this area of the game.

[jaywatkins67]

I generally try to get in the clinch against the cage with good head position and work the knees a great deal and look for whatever is open i.e.. trips, running the pipe, double leg etc... Strikes, alot of the times will destract my opponent from looking for the take down against the cage. I'm not a wrestler so the open cage shot isn't high % for me which is why I like take downs from the cage. However, even when I do shoot in from the middle it has to be set up. Too often, even high level fighters, make the mistake of not setting up their shot with strikes and get stuffed all the time.

[Rockanrollin]

I think also in the Maia/ McDonald matchup in the UFC last weekend Maia should have tried harder to get the fight to the cage. McDonald had his shot timed perfect and was able to sprawl and stuff the takedown. Against the cage you can't sprawl but you can use the fence for leverage to defend
I used to love to watch Couture rough people up against the Cage and now I think Cain Velasquez is highly dominating in this part of a mma fight...I don't think it is boring to watch this as some fans do but I will admit it is not as spectacular as trading punches and kicks in the open mat. But this is an other area where you can win fights clearly.
Seems to me pin the top half of the body against the fence then work down to the hips and eventually ( hopefully) suck the legs out from under and tip them over one way or the other to get the takedown and the points.

[NameLikeNoOther]

There was a thread on the old forum that had a link to BJJScout referring to the Hendricks vs. GSP fight that showed a little bit of what Hendricks did against the fence with GSP.

This one:

http://bjjscout.com/2013/12/26/gsp-v...-study-part-2/