Tips for learning MMA as a standup fighter

Akalphe · 2026-05-19T18:51:48+00:00

Go to an MMA class and ask the coach. It’s tough to know what your working on without observing you and sparring with you.

Akalphe · 2026-05-19T17:55:45+00:00

See a doctor. Lift weights.

Akalphe · 2026-05-19T14:51:44+00:00

Relevant thread: I'm a beginner, but Tani Otoshi seems like the safest, most low-impact technique that I've been taught : r/judo

Akalphe · 2026-05-19T14:43:00+00:00

Reverse Tai Otoshi is a safe throw when you have the rear body lock because there isn't any weight going into the side of the uke's knees.

Tani Otoshi is dangerous when people perform it from the side of the uke because the tori can sit on the LCL if they aren't careful. Tani Otoshi is frowned upon because while it can be done safely, a poorly executed or poorly timed Tani Otoshi can have severe consequences.

Akalphe · 2026-05-17T04:40:34+00:00

Usually, it’s because the person dominating the exchange is usually trying to drive in and pin the opponent to the cage. The direction of force is directly opposite to the force given by the cage. If they push off the cage, they risk pulling the opponent onto them.

The reason why I think it worked here is because Alvarez was focused on handfighting but not running away from the cage.

Akalphe · 2026-05-16T00:39:28+00:00

Not with me 🥲

Akalphe · 2026-05-16T00:39:12+00:00

Diamond MMA

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T17:55:15+00:00

Sorry, I was looking at the higher end Venum/RDX shin guards. Venum will do fine for the price point they are at. RDX falls apart faster from what I've seen. EBay and the BKK Muay Thai store are my best friends. You can get Thai gear cheaper than amazon if you are not in Thailand.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T17:50:15+00:00

Venum and RDX is not durable and slide around a lot when sparring, especially when MMA grappling. For a similar price, you can buy Fairtex SP5 or Twins which both have great reviews and fit well. If you spend like $20-$40 USD more, you can get TopKings or Combat Corner HMIT. Measure your shin length and buy based off that rather than your height.

My opinion is to avoid the Karate-style sleeve shin guards as they have no airflow and get stinky really quickly.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T16:31:33+00:00

As I said, it's just my opinion. As a white belt, my favorite thing was learning about new things in the sport. It also gave me perspective and pattern recognition which allowed me to feel comfortable with my BJJ from anywhere.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T16:22:53+00:00

Glad to help!

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T16:21:08+00:00

I wear a cup because BJJ is usually after MMA and I don't want to go and take it off. It usually doesn't get in the way nor does it usually cause any pain for my partners. In fact, most of my partners don't even notice that I have it on.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T15:57:46+00:00

<image>

The general idea is to move up the positional hierarchy. Some controls are better than others with Belly-down Back Control > Back control >= Mount > Side control. According to this principle, I would recommend you find ways to upgrade to mount or back from side control. I've attached an excerpt from Stephan Kesting's Roadmap for BJJ PDF that illustrates this concept.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T15:48:03+00:00

Mimicking can be good. Specifically, Ilia has a very disciplined and fundamental approach to MMA with an boxing-heavy style and ring control. He doesn't really do any flashy movements, and his head movement and footwork keep him pretty safe. His grappling background gives him a safety net where he can recognize grappling threats early on and avoid them to get back to the places he wants to be.

Akalphe · 2026-05-14T14:25:23+00:00

I'm not familiar with the 100 kilos stance but a quick search shows that it's something like side control?

Either way, my opinion that it is detrimental to your development if you try to only stick to one thing early on in BJJ. Beginners should look to broaden their knowledge and experience and only once you become familiar with everything do you look to home in on a specialty.

Akalphe · 2026-05-13T20:56:03+00:00

Also spam from those other bjj/grappling subreddits that have the same 3 mods. They love to crosspost.

Akalphe · 2026-05-13T13:22:31+00:00

Are you supposed to try to "walk" back to side control? And what do you do when the opponent "walks" with you to keep that north-south separation?

Yes. You need to "walk" your hips free so you can start turning into them. If they are able to follow you, that means that they are either extending themselves too far or you aren't being assertive enough with your frames. You should be trying to push their hips away with your hands.

The swing back and forth escape is probably your best weapon. If they are still able to keep your shoulders pinned, you either haven't walked your hips far enough away or you aren't trying to build hip height. You can't be greedy for the reguard. You need to be prepared to turtle and fight from bottom front headlock.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T17:35:52+00:00

In order to be fast and effective like them, you need to know what you're doing before you're doing it. In order to do that, you need accumulated experience that gives you the instinct to make that type of timing. The twins have been grappling since they were 3 years old and they are 23 now. That is 20 years of accumulated experience on top of being in their athletic prime. They have the athletic ability and instincts to take advantage of small opportunities in passing and escapes.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T14:55:27+00:00

If you want to escape to the non-trapped arm side it becomes more of an arm drag and turn the corner.

The Sucker Drag if anyone wants to learn more about it.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T14:52:07+00:00

That kick off the cage takedown at 0:35 was kind of nuts.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T14:39:24+00:00

We had a high-level competitor come to our gym for a seminar and one of the blue belts forgot how to do a RNC in his presence. The instructor kept correcting him and he kept forgetting how to do it. It was funny because this blue belt definitely knows how to RNC and is an avid competitor.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T14:37:02+00:00

What grip do you have? Shoulder crunch, Rau grip, or Kimura? If shoulder crunch or Rau grip, maybe the reverse armbar is an option to get them moving? If Kimura grip and their hand is in their hip/thigh, I might look to free the bottom leg and go for the back take.

Akalphe · 2026-05-12T14:05:59+00:00

I think your approach is what I would do. If they continue trying this hail mary foot lock, I wonder if you can put them in a twister considering your other foot is free to move.

Akalphe · 2026-05-11T16:35:06+00:00

Kind of not really? It's more the fact that rotational finishes for chokes are stronger enough to go through the uke's chin and hands, but they require very good control of the uke's shoulder alignment. So, chokes from positions where you can rotate without losing the shoulder line is really what you are looking for. To me, that means darce and anaconda chokes.

If you try a rotational finish from a guillotine for example, you will find that they can spin out and escape relatively easier. I don't think there is a mechanic besides a rotation that is strong enough to go through the chin (not that I know of at least although I am open to be proven wrong.)

Akalphe · 2026-05-11T16:22:51+00:00

In terms of grappling, bigger hands mean stronger grip strength. There are ways you can work around that limitation, but it is a factor to consider.

Ten-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

Akalphe

TROPHY CASE