An essential takedown for MMA, this one cannot be overlooked. This is also a takedown seen in heavier weight classes in both wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. Heavy guys often don’t like to drop a knee to the ground for a takedown in fear of carrying their opponent’s weight off of a sprawl. In reality, any competitor who doesn’t wish to carry someone else’s weight if they make a mistake should learn this.
In MMA, this takedown is made highly effective by former wrestlers such as UFC fighter Chael Sonnen (you can even see him use it on Wanderlei Silva on TUF here). Choosing to take an opponent down with this method helps fighters keep from being caught underneath their opponent and therefore helps them avoid taking any unnecessary damage. It’s a low-risk, high-reward takedown. It is devastating to get hit with one of these. It’s the shock-and-awe of takedowns. Be sure to practice it and add it to your arsenal.
