Tips on randori with a wrestler

I also had a rude awakening going against good wrestlers. I think the crux of the problem (even with gi) is that you never get to use the sleeve the same way versus an upright judoka. No gi obviously not, but less obvious with gi is that the bent and often reverse stance of wrestlers prevent you from rotating uke. Next, their instinct is to drop their weight. Lastly, IMO a judoka has to accomplish a lot more to lift and flip someone versus a takedown. It's really really hard to throw someone who is already halfway to the ground. Take that further and you'd be asking a judoka to throw someone sitting down.

The classic Japanese style Judo would tell you to push down on uke before pulling up, action reaction. I think that is okay in Judo but an arms race versus a wrestler, who will declare victory if you screw up and get taken down as a result.

There are things that lend themselves vs. bent stances, like belt grips and some sacrifices, but even those will only take you so far without core skill. I think the long term solution is learning to adapt to different grips while making kuzushi without relying on the classic gi pull. That could be ashiwaza, adapted wrestling setups like snapdowns, unorthodox grips or wrestling tie-ups, grip-and-throw or single grip throw moves. Basically stuff that is also in Judo but perhaps you have to be pretty good already.

On that note, I often like showing things no-gi because it cuts straight to the point on how techniques should work. You don't have added complexity or additional levers to compensate.
 
Last edited:
It was also suggest to me to get action-reaction by dragging uke around, basically shuffling around while upright using my grips as a hook, which is harder on the wrestler since he's bent. Eventually you'd get an opening.

That also seems like a good idea but I haven't tried it yet. I know people who do that well in Judo have tremendous skill (harder than it's described here). You feel like you're struggling to stand while they are just dancing around, and it's not power/pressure that's doing it.
 
If you want to see how judo type throws can be utilized against an opponent in a wrestling stance, go watch sambo matches.
 
We have some wrestlers in my gym and I have had decent success with Sasae. I have also used te garuma (against them it is normally a spin while dragging the lapel rather than an actual pick up and they end up in turtle / almost just a collar drag) and a combo of osoto gari to kata garuma with the kata garuma on the lapel side.
 
Up up, down down, left right left right BA start

No seriously though, Judo has a handful of throws meant specifically for countering wrestlers... and kickboxers, and boxers, bigger people, smaller people...

As a rule of thumb, don't play his game. Defend your legs and don't let him control you. If you want to attack, what comes to mind from me is: pull him forward and as soon as you see him flinch back, even if just a little, rush his ass and stick him with a kouchi makikomi (inner thigh wraparound) or an osoto gari. Land on him and work for a submission, don't let him ride you.

Good luck!
 
Sasae is supper effective. Sumi Gaeshi works. My go to however is snap down in the gi. Once you get the grip over the back (or even the lapel) if his head gets below mine I am going to plant his nose in the mat. It takes full commitment. With that said, I believe all judo takes commitment to be effective against someone with rooted base.
 
Oh yeah, collar drag works well too.
 
If the guy knows how to wrestle, he's better at fighting than anyone in your trash gym. You should pay him to coach you so you can learn something useful.
5cpMqav.png
 
"How do i beat a grappler with better grappling than me at grappling?"
You mean he’s in better position than you and better at grappling?

What exactly is your question? Serious question not being sarcastic
Yeah. He is just better then me frankly. I haven't tried it on him yet but I've been practicing pinning guys to a wall to stand them up like in MMA fights. I just need tips to stand him up, and I will be looking into special counters for this guy as well.
 
Yeah. He is just better then me frankly. I haven't tried it on him yet but I've been practicing pinning guys to a wall to stand them up like in MMA fights. I just need tips to stand him up, and I will be looking into special counters for this guy as well.
How would you hypothetically pin me a wrestler against the wall? And then how would you do anything if you are getting beat in the ties and hand fighting
 
How would you hypothetically pin me a wrestler against the wall? And then how would you do anything if you are getting beat in the ties and hand fighting
Well obviously I can t do shit if they're significantly better than me. But against some lower level guys I either push them straight back or spin them into the wall.
 
Well obviously I can t do shit if they're significantly better than me. But against some lower level guys I either push them straight back or spin them into the wall.
You are asking how to beat him.. we’re not talking about beating lower level people. My overall point.. is regardless of tactics you have to get better at wrestling
 
You are asking how to beat him.. we’re not talking about beating lower level people. My overall point.. is regardless of tactics you have to get better at wrestling


To be fair having a specific target or objective to work towards is a good way to keep your training coherently focused and tell how you're progressing.
 
You are asking how to beat him.. we’re not talking about beating lower level people. My overall point.. is regardless of tactics you have to get better at wrestling
I'm working on it. In the meantime though, do you have any advice?
 
To be fair having a specific target or objective to work towards is a good way to keep your training coherently focused and tell how you're progressing.
Don’t disagree, but one must always understand the base problem and be honest about how to address it.
 
I'd love to give some useful advice but the truth is that the only wrestler at my club I've never, ever been able to take down. Despite having done judo for longer and weighing more. Literally and i'm not kidding when i say this. I've never seen anyone, ever take him down. He did say though that he feels lost whenever someone has his tsurite sleeve pinned down low towards the hip where he can't grip. Maybe that'll help. Or it won't..
 
More examples of collar whipping.

 
Last edited:
Back
Top