Video 59: Sumi Gaeshi for MMA Against a Same-Sided Opponent

The judo gi is off now, this is crazy! This is for MMA, no-gi grappling, or if some rando tries to take you down on the streets. Don’t worry about your judo grips, this is the sumi gaeshi without anything to grip onto.

Here are the main things:

1. Start in a “wrestling front headlock” position.

If you find yourself with your opponent in a front headlock, then you’ll know it’s time to try out sumi gaeshi. This could happen within a scramble or if you defend their takedown.

2. Fake forward hip throw.

You don’t want to get sprawled on, so you turn your knee and hip first to get a good reaction in order to set up the throw.

3. Back leg slides in deep between opponent’s legs.

Ah, there is your trusty baseball slide. Dive back leg first in-between your opponent’s legs and they’ll be going right over, having no idea what in the world you just did.

4. Other leg kicks and guides opponent over.

Don’t forget this step. Guide that opponent over with your other foot. Make sure you’re in control at all times, especially if this is a non-judo situation. You don’t want your throw to slow down halfway through and to them to be on top raining down punches.

5. Land in mounted guillotine.

Keep that control and you should be able to roll with them and land with a mounted guillotine to tap them out. This is the main difference between the judo and MMA version of the sumi.

6. Great against (head on outside) single leg etc.

Self-explanatory. Double leg, single leg, or within a scramble, if your opponent ends up with their head on the outside and you’re defending, hit that sumi gaeshi.

Master this judo for MMA technique and then move on to our very last lesson where Ronda Rousey teaches you how to pull it off from the other side.