Video 75: Juji Single Leg Takedown Defense

Before you can start yanking arms or pulling off submissions of any kind, you’re going to have to get it to the mat even if it isn’t your decision to begin with. Opponents/ukes are going to want to take you down, and Ronda is going to teach you how to make them regret that decision immediately.

Here are the main things:

1. Stuff their head down and underhook far arm.

Bad news: Someone has shot in on you and captured one of your legs with a single leg takedown. Good news: You’re going to clasp your hands together around their far arm, which is going to interrupt their sequence and set up a path to victory.

2.  After sprawl, opponent pulls legs back in aiding in technique.

Pop your hips and sprawl on the takedown with the arm still secured. This will give you your leg back and stop the current takedown from going any further. Now, is the time to reverse.

Bring the far leg back toward the opponent with your knee behind the attacker’s arm, keeping it out of reach for a re-shoot and beginning to shift the momentum to where you want this to go.

3. Back leg swings forward to opponent’s far leg while starting to roll.

Lean back while keeping hold onto the arm and now with their other arm grasped in-between the legs and execute a back somersault. It sounds all Matrix-y, but trust Ronda, your leverage and physics do most of the work.

Make sure to push with your shin in-between the attacker’s legs to help them flow over the top of you and prevent them from stopping your movement and ending up on top of you.

4. Jackknife opponent with your legs and arms.

You’ll kick your opponent over and you’ll end up in a crucifix position with them fully on their back and their fate in your hands. You should keep the arm underhooked while also trapping their far leg.

5. You can finish with a Twister, Crucifix, or improvise.

Hook up the closest leg to you after pushing them over and pull that leg toward your while stretching the arm over their head. If you’ve gotten them to this point, they’re helpless with no arms and only one leg. You can take the arm, or compact the neck into the chest to get the tap.

Once you master that, it’s time to learn Ronda’s four favorite armbars!