Back to MMA Fundamentals
Ground
Mount
A dominant top position sitting on an opponent's torso with both knees on the mat.
Key Points
- •Keep your base wide and low to resist being swept
- •Control an arm to prevent escapes and set up submissions
- •Stay mobile — chase the mount if they try to shift hips
Instructions
- 1Sit astride the opponent's torso with a knee on each side of their body.
- 2Keep your weight distributed low and your hips heavy to prevent being bucked off.
- 3Post a hand or foot out wide if they try to roll, to maintain balance.
- 4Control their far-side arm or head to limit their ability to escape.
- 5Look for strikes or submission opportunities as their arms come up to defend.
More Ground Techniques
Closed Guard
A fundamental bottom position where your legs are wrapped and locked around the opponent's waist.
Side Control
A dominant pinning position perpendicular to the opponent, controlling their torso from the side.
Back Control
The most dominant position in grappling, controlling an opponent from behind with hooks in.
Armbar
A joint-lock submission hyperextending the elbow, applicable from guard, mount, or side control.
Rear-Naked Choke
A blood choke applied from back control, one of the most reliable submissions in grappling and MMA.
Triangle Choke
A leg-based choke from guard using your legs to trap the opponent's neck and one arm.