Maia's Advice to BJJ guys transitioning to MMA

[fortheo]

With Kron and Dern recently losing there was an abundance of threads questioning the efficacy of BJJ in Modern MMA, threads like:

https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/bjj-exposed-once-again.4028079/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/bjj-wizards-that-cant-take-a-fight-to-the-ground.4028561/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/bjj-fighters-and-lack-of-takedowns.4028019/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/bjj-took-an-l-tonight-kron-and-mackenzie.4028023/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/...restling-is-the-missing-piece-of-bjj.4028187/

etc etc.

So I thought I'd share the advice of one of the more successful BJJ fighters in MMA history.


Cliffs/paraphrasing

"What would you recommend to BJJ players who decide to move on to MMA. What should they work on first?"

Demian:

• If you want to apply BJJ, You need to learn how to cut angles, you need to learn footwork so that you can mix the striking with your grappling.
• Stand up fighting doesn't mean just striking. Stand up fighting means clinching on the correct side, footwork, correct angles. You hit with your hands, but you box with your legs.
• It's important to understand that the striking for a BJJ fighter is a way to get to the clinch. It is simple, but most people don't do that. Most people separate their training— when they train boxing they're only training boxing. When then they train wrestling, they're only wrestling;
  but you need to learn mix them in order to get to the clinch.
  

TLDR: Work on your footwork in order to cut angles and get into the clinch. Don't separate the striking and grappling arts in training. Your main focus when striking should only be getting to the clinch.

Somebody tell Dern and Kron that please.


Random fun fact that I always forget: Maia is half Russian—his grandparents immigrated to Brazil during the russian revolution.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

Learn to throw more than 1-2 leg kick and learn how to take people down in variety instead of pull guard all day.

But Maia would be the guy to take this advice from and it’s all very solid advice for pure BJJ guys getting in MMA, it’s the same when strikers get on the mat. Maia himself has improved all facets of his game since his earlier days.

 

[56in]

Didn't know he' half Russian. He does have the bolsjevik look!

 

[RVCA]

Brazilian Jaime Lannister spitting some truth

 

[fortheo]

Learn to throw more than 1-2 leg kick and learn how to take people down in variety instead of pull guard all day.

But Maia would be the guy to take this advice from and it’s all very solid advice for pure BJJ guys getting in MMA, it’s the same when strikers get on the mat. Maia himself has improved all facets of his game since his earlier days.

His emphasis on the importance of footwork is something that a lot of people don't talk about when it comes to grapplers. Maia always pressures and cuts the cage off very well before shooting. The ease that Maia can get his opponent to back up behind the black lines in the octagon is an underrated skill and definitely an important one for anyone who wants to implement grappling.

 

[Guy LeDouche]

His emphasis on the importance of footwork is something that a lot of people don't talk about when it comes to grapplers. Maia always pressures and cuts the cage off very well before shooting. The ease that Maia can get his opponent to back up behind the black lines in the octagon is an underrated skill and definitely an important one for anyone who wants to implement grappling.

Well put sir. That was actually what stood out the most from that interview for me as well. Most grapplers have absolutely terrible footwork and cornering, Ortega being example, great fundamentals of boxing, but plods forward to get inside, relies a lot on chin.
An opposite would be Cub/Kron where Cub used superior footwork to negate the threat of a takedown.

 

[fortheo]

Well put sir. That was actually what stood out the most from that interview for me as well. Most grapplers have absolutely terrible footwork and cornering, Ortega being example, great fundamentals of boxing, but plods forward to get inside, relies a lot on chin.
An opposite would be Cub/Kron where Cub used superior footwork to negate the threat of a takedown.

Yes, but cub could only do that because Kron followed him around and didn't have the necessary footwork to cut off the octagon. Ortega is the same—Max had him on a leash following him around the entire night.

Dern as well couldn't trap ribas at all in order to line up a decent shot. the lack of good footwork is definitely a problem with a lot of these bjj fighters coming over.

 

[corrupted]

Footwork is so much more important than people think. Anderson's skillset was made that much more effective because of his footwork... Conversely, Chael was never a champion because of how awful his was. Boxers and Kickboxers also have this problem. The whole, "elite striker knocked out by a grappler while standing" debate is almost entirely explained by the differences in stance and movement.

Without better movement and angles, Both Kron and Dern will stay "found out"....

Also fair to note that it has taken Maia nearly 10 years to get to this point

 

[PeacePipe]

Or ignore it and never use it like Aldo

 

[Chubi]

Having good BJJ for MMA is also very important I guess, not every BJJ champion can apply their technique into an MMA fight.

 

[HitMachine]

BJJ is as relevant as Aikido.

 

[Killroy]

I love Maia but it has to be done:

 

[cheesus]

I love Maia but it has to be done:

Why ?

 

[Hotora86]

Random fun fact that I always forget: Maia is half Russian—his grandparents immigrated to Brazil during the russian revolution.

Had no idea, that's cool.

BTW I think Gunnar Nelson had huge potential because of his high level BJJ and great Karate footwork and agility. Staying at SGB all this time did him no favors IMO. He was 13-0 at one point and then just stopped improving it seems...

 

[khabib time]

Footwork is so much more important than people think. Anderson's skillset was made that much more effective because of his footwork... Conversely, Chael was never a champion because of how awful his was. Boxers and Kickboxers also have this problem. The whole, "elite striker knocked out by a grappler while standing" debate is almost entirely explained by the differences in stance and movement.

Without better movement and angles, Both Kron and Dern will stay "found out"....

Also fair to note that it has taken Maia nearly 10 years to get to this point

"It has taken Maia nearly 10 years to get to this point"
True but he has stayed in the game and fought the best. His desire for greatness has helped him evolve and learn strategies to make him better. On the other side of the coin is Askren. Fighting cans and never evolving his game has brought him to this point. He's still a one-trick pony (a very good one) who is only testing himself again now and we are all seeing the weaknesses in his game. Hats off to Maia for continuing to grow and challenge himself all these years as a Mix Martial Artist. It shows in his skillset. He's talking about his footwork but he also has a legitimate 1-2. The guy is turning 42 next month and still fighting at a high level. He's past him prime but still taking the sport seriously and not just chasing money. Good for him.

 

[LukeSkyrocker]

I love Maia but it has to be done:

Love how Marquart checks that second punch

 

[frandie2b]

Yup, Maia mighht be the best example of a BJJ master that has been successful imposing his game.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Learn to fight not to participate in a combat arm.

Combat Brazilian ju jitsu incorporates open palm strikes and is game changing. Not so easy to pull off some of these more basic positions and subs when someone is smashing you.

 

[corrupted]

"It has taken Maia nearly 10 years to get to this point"
True but he has stayed in the game and fought the best. His desire for greatness has helped him evolve and learn strategies to make him better. On the other side of the coin is Askren. Fighting cans and never evolving his game has brought him to this point. He's still a one-trick pony (a very good one) who is only testing himself again now and we are all seeing the weaknesses in his game. Hats off to Maia for continuing to grow and challenge himself all these years as a Mix Martial Artist. It shows in his skillset. He's talking about his footwork but he also has a legitimate 1-2. The guy is turning 42 next month and still fighting at a high level. He's past him prime but still taking the sport seriously and not just chasing money. Good for him.

He is one of the last guys in the organisation that emobies the original concept of styles v styles to see what is most effective. He's a purist. I love that he has adapted his BJJ to accommodate the other styles rather than putting the BJJ on the back burner so that he can become a mediocre striker with decent TDD and great BJJ.

 

[Po]

I love Maia but it has to be done:

Nice of Nate to hold back and show restraint after Maia was down.