Facing a Wrestler

Pull guard IMO, you want to get the fight to a place you can work from on your own terms. Hell, if you can even pull half guard and immediately work for a sweep or get back to guard it would help.

From my experience, wrestlers are strong as hell and have great hips, so they'll be hard to sweep. You might want to try and get their back.
 
oh, I agree with you for sure, he definitely won't win using that strategy. not this time.

but a year from now he'll be giving some wrestlers the business on his feet if he keeps at it, and at the very least it will inspire him to learn more wrestling!


So are you advocating that the guy should go out fight for the takedown against a state wrestling champ, even though you think he will lose the takedown battle?

OP-go out a immediately pull guard. This is a BJJ match, it's legal, it's a smart move. A lot of people on this board are against guard pulling and have a hard on for takedowns for some reason. If you want the best chance to WIN the match play to your strength and not your opponents. If you try to play the takedown game the most likely result will be you end up in guard down 2 points or you end up in a worse position down 2 points and have to fight to get back to guard.
 
You still have to counter his wrestling somehow, or pulling guard will result in pulling side control. You can set up guard pulls off of takedowns & shots. (And I pulled guard in most of my matches at my last tournament for a particular reason.) Anyway, it is too late; his tournament is today.
 
He may have an iPhone... it's not too late!

PULL GUARD!
PULL GUARD!
PULL GUARD!
PULL GUARD!
 
So are you advocating that the guy should go out fight for the takedown against a state wrestling champ, even though you think he will lose the takedown battle?

OP-go out a immediately pull guard. This is a BJJ match, it's legal, it's a smart move. A lot of people on this board are against guard pulling and have a hard on for takedowns for some reason. If you want the best chance to WIN the match play to your strength and not your opponents. If you try to play the takedown game the most likely result will be you end up in guard down 2 points or you end up in a worse position down 2 points and have to fight to get back to guard.

He had the same advice as you did Frodo talked him out of it. reading the thread will put it all in context. Whatever he does I hope he does well and has fun! Good luck today OP!

I would like to add the reason most of us have a "hard on" for takedowns is due to MMA or the self defense aspect. In order to finish the fight on the ground you have to get it there. This is a moot point in a sub grappling comp or a BJJ tourney.
 
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As far as sweeps against wrestlers go (or any guy with a good base), I find its very hard from full guard. When people with good bases are squared up with your body its very hard to sweep them. Wrestlers seem to be very good at being heavy and tight. I prefer getting to deep half, x guard, or de la riva asap against guys who are physically stronger and have good bases.
 
He had the same advice as you did Frodo talked him out of it. reading the thread will put it all in context. Whatever he does I hope he does well and has fun! Good luck today OP!

I would like to add the reason most of us have a "hard on" for takedowns is due to MMA or the self defense aspect. In order to finish the fight on the ground you have to get it there. This is a moot point in a sub grappling comp or a BJJ tourney.

you know what it is, it's just that I'm always the guys that thinks pulling guard is not the business so advocating it for this kid just because he's facing a (MUCH) better wrestler and is likely to lose that battle feels disingenuous. right now he's going to be getting taken down, but if he stands his ground if even for a little while he'll gain tons of confidence, and be inspired to work on his takedowns. either way, good luck OP!
 
you know what it is, it's just that I'm always the guys that thinks pulling guard is not the business so advocating it for this kid just because he's facing a (MUCH) better wrestler and is likely to lose that battle feels disingenuous. right now he's going to be getting taken down, but if he stands his ground if even for a little while he'll gain tons of confidence, and be inspired to work on his takedowns. either way, good luck OP!

I hate, let me repeat HATE guard pulling, I think it teaches bad habits and frankly I think it is lazy as fuck! BUT in this case in a gi bjj match the guy wanted advice against a wrestler and I cannot in good faith advice him to go takedowns with the guy when I doubt he has spent considerable time working on them or defending them.
 
I feel you. either way, I hope he comes back and posts about his experience. this should be interesting... !
 
You need to do whatever it takes to increase your chances of winning. Guys that don't feel overly confident in their guard should probably never pull guard but you seem to be, so why not? If you have better sweeps than takedowns pull guard against a known wrestler. That guy not only has the technical edge in takedowns he also will have the mental edge. Take that away from him and agressively pull guard (half/open/closed). The more time you waste standing the less time you have to work for points/submissions. Make sure you understand any rules related to pulling guard.
 
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Pull guard if you feel comfortable with your sweeps because you're better getting points for pulling guard and sweeping rather than points going against you for been taken down and then sweeping.
 
He'll most likely just try to maul you. That's what all the wrestlers I've ever faced have done anyway. One guy tried the super technical "forearm to throat" submission. Didn't work. He won on points though. Seriously facing wrestlers who are transitioning to BJJ sucks. Usually their JJ sucks out loud but they always find a way to win by staying on top.

I would say pull guard and work for a submission form there. Try sweeps when you can. I say take risks because these wrestler guys will almost always beat you on points. Go for the subs whenever you can and forget about the points..
 
I am also a wrestler who is transitioning to BJJ and i can say that i love to get side mount and smother my opponent and do wrestling cradles throw in halves and just stay on top. I am pretty uncomfortable having ppl in my guard tho but i have a pretty clean sprawl and most jiu jitsu people dont have as good shots as wrestlers (at least the ones i have met).
 
you know what it is, it's just that I'm always the guys that thinks pulling guard is not the business so advocating it for this kid just because he's facing a (MUCH) better wrestler and is likely to lose that battle feels disingenuous. right now he's going to be getting taken down, but if he stands his ground if even for a little while he'll gain tons of confidence, and be inspired to work on his takedowns. either way, good luck OP!

Now that is just dumb. Pulling guard is a legitimate tactic in the sport of BJJ. Nothing in the rules state that you must go for takedowns. Why would anyone with half a brain go out and fight for a takedown against someone who they know for a fact has superior takedowns, especially when the guard is their strong point (this is according to the OPs self assessment)

You can be very successful at sport BJJ without having much of a takedown game at all. It is nice to have a good stand up game, but the majority of your efforts are better spent elsewhere.
 
Now that is just dumb. Pulling guard is a legitimate tactic in the sport of BJJ. Nothing in the rules state that you must go for takedowns. Why would anyone with half a brain go out and fight for a takedown against someone who they know for a fact has superior takedowns, especially when the guard is their strong point (this is according to the OPs self assessment)

You can be very successful at sport BJJ without having much of a takedown game at all. It is nice to have a good stand up game, but the majority of your efforts are better spent elsewhere.

No, you need to have good takedowns to be successful at higher levels. The better guys in jiu-jitsu are saying that. Hall, Saulo, Jacare, Marcelo, etc... Of course everyone has different strengths. However, you need competent skills in takedowns, even if you intend to pull guard. Takedowns help your ground game too, and vice versa.
 
No, you need to have good takedowns to be successful at higher levels. The better guys in jiu-jitsu are saying that. Hall, Saulo, Jacare, Marcelo, etc... Of course everyone has different strengths. However, you need competent skills in takedowns, even if you intend to pull guard. Takedowns help your ground game too, and vice versa.

Just want to add to that...if you compete a lot you will find yourself in situations when you are down a point or an advantage and there is less than a minute left while you and your opponent are both standing.
 
I personally like using it as a setup for an arm- triangle from mount...

Yeah at least I could have respected that. But the guy just leaned on my throat for like 30 seconds. It's bush league IMHO..
 
Nothing in the rules state that you must go for takedowns.
You can be very successful at sport BJJ without having much of a takedown game at all.

so you're a butt flop enthusiast I see.
 
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