Cage Pressure Escapes: North South Survival Study

How to escape north south control when you're pinned against the cage. It's about creating space under pressure, using explosive movements to reverse positions, & capitalizing on your opponent's transitions to regain guard or sweep. Every escape here works when strikes are coming & you need to move fast

Flow outline

  1. Gff North South Escapes

    • Key detail: most of the time you're stuck in north south with the cage behind you. is where you need to create space fast before the ground and pound starts. identify how your opponent is controlling you - double over, double under, or over under - and explode into the right escape

  2. Double Over

    • your opponent has double overhooks, pinning your arms to your sides. you're vulnerable to strikes here. bridge hard to create space, then use that momentum to spin out or shoot your arms through. timing beats strength

  3. Double Under

    • If it shows up, They've got double underhooks, controlling your hips. is a strong pinning position. Get your feet close, bridge explosively, and pendulum to one side to break their base and create an opening. Switch if it stalls

  4. Over Under

    • Most of the time One arm is under your armpit, one is over your forearm. mixed control gives you options. Read which arm is vulnerable and attack that side - either shoot through the over arm or pendulum away from the underhook

  5. Spinning Escape

    • when they're transitioning to north south, bring your far hand into their armpit and spin hard. use your knee against their elbow as leverage. is a cage-aware escape that creates enough space to scramble or stand

  6. Spinning Escape

    • Once set, from double over control, bridge explosively with your feet close, then spin out. works against the cage because you're using their pressure against them. time it between their strikes

  7. L Shape

    • Usually From double under, after bridging and penduluming, you're in an L shape with your legs controlling one of their arms. is a transitional position where you can either sweep to turtle or work back to guard. Angle matters

  8. Scissor To Turtle

    • Once set, from the l shape, bring your far arm through to capture their calf, then scissor your legs to come up to turtle. is a defensive position where you can defend strikes and work to stand against the cage

  9. Sweep

    • From turtle, put your ear to their far hip, turn in hard, and grab their ankle. is a wrestling-style sweep that puts you on top. Use the cage to help with the turn if you need extra leverage

  10. Slide Knee On Opponent's Bicep

    • From here, When they're blocking your hip from the L shape, scissor off your knees, post on their bicep, then slide your knee onto it. creates a frame that stops their pressure and gives you space to move. Timing beats strength

  11. Reguard

    • From here, when they're not blocking your hip from the l shape, immediately reguard. get your legs between you and them before they can posture up for strikes. control their posture against the cage

  12. Invert To Reguard

    • Key detail: if they spin behind you from the l shape and your hand comes off their hip, invert hard to regain guard. is a last-ditch move when you're about to lose position completely. switch if it stalls

  13. Do Double Under Escape

    • From here, usually from over under control, when you shoot through the arm that's on top of your forearm, you end up in double under escape position. is where you bridge and pendulum like the double under escape chain

  14. Escape

    • From over under control, when you pendulum to the side of the over arm, take elbow and knee together with a hand on their tricep. Put your shin on their bicep, grip their wrist from the tricep, and push hard with your shin. creates enough space to escape the position entirely. Angle matters

Branch conditions