Most Versatile Submission?

dza76wutang

dza76wutang

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I was trying to think about this from a puzzle/optimization problem P.O.V. and not propose a topic that can devolve into a pissing contest or style vs style debate but I was wondering what people thought are the MOST VERSATILE submissions in grappling. Versatile meaning they can be applied from lots of positions, so like guard, sidemount, mount, backmount, standing, etc etc etc, without losing points on efficacy and success rate. So if you can hit a heelhook from literally anywhere with 1% success, I wouldn't consider that versatile for the purposes of this discussion.

My top 2 are:
Straight Armbar - can be done reasonably easily from...mount, side mount, knee on belly, bottom full guard, back mount top, and also standing as a flying armbar (not very high percentage, imo, but I think it could be amongst good fliers so I won't exclude it, I don't do flying stuff so idk).
Kimura - can be done reasonably easily from...side mount top, 1/2 guard top, 1/2 guard bottom, full guard bottom, standing as counter to rear body lock, north-south, knee on belly

so that's ~6 vs ~7, and that's just off the top of my head, what I've seen, what I can do.

Anyone else have ideas to add?
 
omoplata can be done from practically every position
 
I think this is an easy win for the "Ezekial Choke", since it can literally be hit and finished from anywhere you have both arms and you're facing your opponent (and they don't have to be facing you); including from inferior positions and other submissions.

The Toe-Hold would probably be #2 as this can be hit from anywhere you can reach your opponents foot with both hands. A lot of leglocks would also kind of intertwine with the toe-hold in combination; espeically the knee bar and heelhook.

The Artriangle/Darce is also extremely versatile and would probably take 3rd.

Shoulder locks like the americana and kimura are extremely versitile, but not always as a submission. same goes for the guillotine. they can be used effectively to escape bad positions sometimes, but aren't usually finished from them. they are also easily countered by an experienced opponent.

after that submissions like armbars and triangles would come in.
 
The triangle - the great equalizer for us little guys.

I can grab it from any position and there are so many variations that my lanky dwarf body can transition to a dozen more if I need to. I like to get wrist control and throw it on from back control just to piss people off.
 
not only is the kimura a great sub you can get from many positions, but it is also often the easiest way to set up a sweep.
 
for me...rear naked choke

I know this might leave some of you scratching your heads but think about how many places you can snatch the back harness from

The Mount
Side Mount
North South
While opponent is trying to pass your guard
While opponent's inside your guard
When attempting to pass the open guard
Off a failed Armbar
off a failed Kimura

I'm sure there's more...but you get the point
 
If you consider all variations, the arm triangle. If separate, the arm triangle, brabo, and ezekiel are my bets.
 
The toe hold, although not often attempted, can be done from just about any position including being mounted
 
Keylock.

Also, for lack of a better term, the "twister roll." Basically anytime you have your leg hooked around your opponent's leg (like your right leg on his right leg), you can roll and end up with your opponent turtling and you with a hook in. Can do it from topside half guard, topside reverse scarfhold (ie "twister side control"), from mount (if they sneak a low half guard on your ankle), and standing (from kouchi gari).
 
Armbar/jujigatame, easy entries with few steps from pretty much any position

even several different versions from the same position
 
lethalazn said:
for me...rear naked choke

I know this might leave some of you scratching your heads but think about how many places you can snatch the back harness from

The Mount
Side Mount
North South
While opponent is trying to pass your guard
While opponent's inside your guard
When attempting to pass the open guard
Off a failed Armbar
off a failed Kimura

I'm sure there's more...but you get the point
Click to expand...



FYI it ceases to be a REAR naked choke when you're not behind the guy. I think you're wrapping up the guillotine, FNC, No-Arm Darce, and Monson choke all into one...
 
Not to sound like a simpleton, but some of these are moves I only know of being "hittable" from specific spots.

Could someone possibly explain how they can catch the following:

Omoplata from pretty much any where but full guard. This one is really boggling my mind, and this is excellent because I love omoplatas and would love to learn alternative ways to hit them.

D'arce/Brabo/Anaconda - The only places I've seen these hit from are top turtle/sprawl, and top 1/2-guard. Once again, I'd love to hear where and how you guys are nailing these.

Keylock - The only places I can imagine this working from is top side, and top mount. Where else does it pop up?

Continuing with versatility discussion:
Head/Arm triangle is another good one, I can't believe I missed it in my initial assessment, same w/ the fig-4 footlock, and I love footlocks :). I have Stephen Kesting's high % leglock dvd with the special fig-4 add-on but I haven't had time to watch it yet due to grad-school and work, this thread reaffirms that it was a good purchase :)
 
dza76wutang said:
Not to sound like a simpleton, but some of these are moves I only know of being "hittable" from specific spots.

Could someone possibly explain how they can catch the following:

Omoplata from pretty much any where but full guard. This one is really boggling my mind, and this is excellent because I love omoplatas and would love to learn alternative ways to hit them.

D'arce/Brabo/Anaconda - The only places I've seen these hit from are top turtle/sprawl, and top 1/2-guard. Once again, I'd love to hear where and how you guys are nailing these.

Keylock - The only places I can imagine this working from is top side, and top mount. Where else does it pop up?

Continuing with versatility discussion:
Head/Arm triangle is another good one, I can't believe I missed it in my initial assessment, same w/ the fig-4 footlock, and I love footlocks :). I have Stephen Kesting's high % leglock dvd with the special fig-4 add-on but I haven't had time to watch it yet due to grad-school and work, this thread reaffirms that it was a good purchase :)
Click to expand...

You can hit the omoplata from any top position. An easy example would be from the mount. If the opponent turns on his side, you can attack his top arm with an omoplata by folding your leg under it. Then you can either roll through to an omoplata or simply move off to the side to pull him onto his stomach.

The chokes you mentioned can also be hit from any top position. This should be easy enough to picture especially since you already know how to do it from top half guard. To do it from top side control, just start in side control instead of half guard. It is the same idea. You can also do it from the guard by crossing an arm and sitting up to grab the choke.

You can do a keylock with your legs from top scarfhold. You can also do a keylock from bottom guard by trapping the shoulder with your legs. This is a common finish from a locked triangle as well. Keylocks can also be used to reverse your opponent from underneath dominant position, but that is risky if the opponent is able to counter it.
 
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