Here’s UFC champion Frankie Edgar teaching a basic combo, using the standard Jab-Cross to set up a clinch where knees to the face and body will be delivered. Notice how crisp his defense is even while throwing strikes and how he circles while disengaging. We worked a slightly different version of this in class, and its nice to see how its done by an elite striker.
Today I was drilling some basic pummelling while being pushed onto the cage wall and wanted to provide some video resources about fighting off the cage, or using the cage to one’s advantage. Pay special attention to how the fighters use their balance, grips and base (hips, legs, and foot placement) to achieve their results.
Click through the pictures to see the videos.
Razor Rob shows how to nerf (obviate) the underhook when being pushed up against the cage and perform a sit-down takedown to get into side control.
Our local Brandon Ruiz shows some cage work defense with two techniques: a chest punch to get back your underhook and a slick two-on-one (controlling their two arms with one of yours) control to get your back off the cage.
UFC champ Frankie Edgar shows how to cut off the movement of your opponent and keep them on the cage with this drill.
Adam “Soul Horse” Song from Cageside MMA shows the proper base and pressuring technique to keep your opponent on the wall. He also demonstrates how to knee, footstomp, etc from this position. The discussion of how to base is brief, but essential.
Revolution MMA’s Joel Gerson shows a foot-sweep type move that exploits the opponent’s balance and base.
A couple of guys from ProFightNetwork show a knee catch takedown from the cage – keep that head tucked! – and then follow up with some excellent instruction on ground and pound.
Kenny Florian shows defense against ground and pound by securing a grip (two on one is great) and then wall walking back to his feet. The move is related to a turkish getup.
Kevin Kearns (Burn with Kearns!) and Marcus Davis show a similar drill, the cage crush, that help you work getting back to your feet. Bosu ball used for resistance.
Another local man, Brian Yamasaki from DamageControl MMA has his wrestling buddy, Dave Seljestad show a single leg takedown when you’re pressing your opponent up to the cage.
Some guys from The Pit show various techniques in this long (12 mins) video instruction, including tips on finishing the double leg takedown while pushing your opponent onto the fence.
Brad Daddis shows how you can escape side control by walking your feet up the cage and rolling your opponent over. Pretty slick move.
Let me know if your thoughts – I learned a ton from these vids and would love to learn what you might have to offer too!
Shortly after being soundly defeated in his rematch with Edgar, BJ Penn released a statement claiming that Frankie had done some serious wrong doing.
“It’s clear to my whole camp and me that Frankie greased his head and all the air molecules around it. You can literally see the way my punches are gliding off a cushion of greased air, never even touching his face. If it wasn’t grease it must have been reverse-polarity punch magnets, installed in his brain, physically pushing my hands away from connecting. Whatever it was, it was utter bull****.”
When asked if the total assbeatery he received at the hands of Frankie qualified Edgar to be the lightweight champion, BJ Penn responded saying, “If you want to have your teammates pick you up on their shoulders for the judges, trying to steal the decision, then fine. Then that’s the guy you are. He’s starting to think he’s this great fighter, the all time best. Take those delusions of grandeur and flush them down the toilet with your anti-damage spray and your excessive-win creams.”
Frankie Edgar’s camp has not yet responded to these allegations.
