BJJ Takedowns
Takedowns are how the fight gets to the ground on your terms. In BJJ they borrow from wrestling and judo, singles, doubles, ankle picks, and throws, adapted to a ruleset where the guard pull is always an alternative.
Wrestling and judo, adapted for BJJ
No-gi takedowns lean on wrestling: level changes, singles, doubles, and ankle picks off collar ties and underhooks. Gi takedowns add judo throws built on lapel and sleeve grips. Either way the BJJ context changes the risk, since getting countered can mean handing over points or your back.
Chain attempts, mind the landing
Single takedowns rarely land cold; the high-percentage approach is to chain them, so a failed double becomes a single and a stuffed shot becomes an ankle pick. And because this is BJJ, you finish thinking about the pass and the scramble, not just the takedown itself.
Community flows for BJJ Takedowns
- Complete Butterfly Guard, Vol 4: Head-and-Arm & the Standing Opponent — Two self-contained subsystems. The head-and-arm family when the opponent collapses too close for the Abu Dhabi sweep. The standing-opponent toolkit…
- Top Five No-Gi Takedowns Adapted from Judo — A system of five takedowns for no-gi grappling that minimize risk of front headlock exposure.
- Russian Tie to Top Position Transition — A throw sequence from Russian tie grip to achieving dominant top control.
- Practical Guard — Guard control from standing engagements. Transitioning to dominant positions or submissions when the fight goes to the ground. Real-world scenarios with…
- Standing Combat — Defending takedowns & immediately counter-attacking from standing positions.
- Standing to Submission — High-percentage techs from standing through dominant positions & submissions. Fundamental takedowns, front headlock control, & reliable chokes from top.
- standup takedown chains — chain wrestling from standing. collar ties, underhooks, and defensive responses connected into takedown sequences.
- COLLAR AND SLEEVE WRESTLING — Standing gi wrestling. Collar & sleeve grips controlling distance & posture, traditional sequences leading to high-percentage takedowns & back takes.
- The Pressure Passer's Scramble — How to dominate from the feet to the mat with constant pressure and explosive scrambles. Focuses on chain wrestling takedowns into immediate top control…
- the relentless onslaught game — attack from every position with constant pressure. never give your opponent a moment to breathe, chain takedowns into guard passes, smash through defenses, and…
- Ankle Pick Survival — Surviving collar tie positions by mastering the ankle pick. Grip breaking, creating angles, and capitalizing on reactions to turn defense into offense in both…
- Standing Engagement — Standing engagements broken into positional entries, takedown pathways, & transitional mechanics. How initial grips dictate tactical options & finishing…
Frequently asked questions
What are the best takedowns for BJJ?
The single leg, double leg, and ankle pick from wrestling, and grip-based throws from judo, are the staples. The best one for you depends on whether you train gi or no-gi and your athletic style.
Should I learn takedowns or just pull guard?
Both have a place, but takedowns put you on top and score points. Even a small reliable takedown game makes you far harder to deal with than relying on the guard pull alone.
How are BJJ takedowns different from wrestling?
The techniques overlap, but BJJ rewards control over the scramble and punishes giving up your back. You finish a BJJ takedown already thinking about the pass.
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