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In much MMA discussion there is the idea of "Working off your back," more recently it is used to analyze match ups like Cain and JDS II, Diaz vs GSP in particular.
So, what I want to discuss in this thread is the whole idea of working off your back in MMA. I'd like people's thoughts on the topic (it is quite a big and important one at that).
Fighting off your back can include, but not limited to; half, open and closed guard sweeps and reversals to arm drags, sweeps, submissions and back takes. As well as other guards such as rubber and deep half (we saw Big Nog go for it in his match with Herman). There is also the option of getting back up to your feet.
So, from this. We can conclude that fighting off your back has 3 main options; sweep, submit the opponent or get back to your feet. I don't notice fighters, at all levels getting that many sweeps in MMA, it isn't a secret that it is difficult to sweep an opponent whilst getting hit in the face by a trained opponent.
The impression that I'm getting is that (right now) there is only a limited amount of fighters in the sport that, at an elite level can effectively fight off their backs to get submissions (and sweeps). My point here is not to bash fighters, but what I've noticed is that the number of submissions that fighters attempt compared to the number of submissions (and sweeps) that they actually get is a small ratio compared to the number of successful attempts that fighters make to get back to their feet.
Obviously there are fighters that can and actively do submit people off their backs, Lauzon, Maia, Anderson and others spring to mind. But from what I've noticed, is there an argument to, in training- to not work that many submissions and sweeps and instead just focus on getting back to their feet instead?
So, what I want to discuss in this thread is the whole idea of working off your back in MMA. I'd like people's thoughts on the topic (it is quite a big and important one at that).
Fighting off your back can include, but not limited to; half, open and closed guard sweeps and reversals to arm drags, sweeps, submissions and back takes. As well as other guards such as rubber and deep half (we saw Big Nog go for it in his match with Herman). There is also the option of getting back up to your feet.
So, from this. We can conclude that fighting off your back has 3 main options; sweep, submit the opponent or get back to your feet. I don't notice fighters, at all levels getting that many sweeps in MMA, it isn't a secret that it is difficult to sweep an opponent whilst getting hit in the face by a trained opponent.
The impression that I'm getting is that (right now) there is only a limited amount of fighters in the sport that, at an elite level can effectively fight off their backs to get submissions (and sweeps). My point here is not to bash fighters, but what I've noticed is that the number of submissions that fighters attempt compared to the number of submissions (and sweeps) that they actually get is a small ratio compared to the number of successful attempts that fighters make to get back to their feet.
Obviously there are fighters that can and actively do submit people off their backs, Lauzon, Maia, Anderson and others spring to mind. But from what I've noticed, is there an argument to, in training- to not work that many submissions and sweeps and instead just focus on getting back to their feet instead?