Favourite takedowns?

My goodness, too many to count!

I'm a roosterweight and no one does takedowns in my weight division, including myself. But in the gym I do a lot of takedowns. I could probably write for hours on this, and no one would read it or understand what I'm babbling about without video. So to make it short and simple, these are my top ten gi takedowns in no particular order:

• Misdirect low single from space
• Blast double from space
• Sweep single with a collar grip
• Sumi-gaeshi from Russian cross grip (usually obtained off of their cross collar grip)
• Arm drag to double or single
• High grip / power grip to ankle pick or low single (usually against someone standing with low posture)
• Tai-otoshi from traditional collar-sleeve judo grips
• Fireman's carry
• Sode-tsurikomi goshi
• Kouchi-gari

I also like taking bad shots, getting caught in a front headlock, and then finishing on my knees (sucker drag, Peterson roll, peek out, dumps, reversals when they try to go behind, etc; it all works gi or no-gi). Strictly following the IBJJF rulebook, you should not get points in an IBJJF tournament for takedowns initiated on your knees. But it sure is fun to do these moves in practice; it bewilders non-wrestlers, and it's a good skillset to have even if it doesn't score in tournaments.

Finally, if you go to BJJ Fanatics' website and look at John Danaher's Feet to Floor 3-part series, I think the techniques listed on the table of contents is pretty sensible gi takedown syllabus for beginners. I don't own these but based on his YouTube video that he made to promote the series, I think he's done a good job of curating the techniques for the IBJJF ruleset. If I remember correctly, his philosophy is to minimize back exposure, minimize front headlock exposure, avoid techniques that require lifting, avoid techniques that might result in an over-throw, and an emphasis on sacrifice throws (collar drag, sumi-gaeshi, tomoe-nage) since they result in a guard pull upon failure. They techniques listed on the DVD covers are:

1. Collar drag
2. Ankle pick
3. Double leg
4. Single leg
5. Knee pick
6. Snap down
7. Ude gaeshi (arm spin)
8. Seoi snap
9. Various back bodylock takedowns
10. Tomoe-nage
11. Sumi-gaeshi
12. Uki-waza
13. Kouchi-gari
14. Kosoto-gari
15. Ouchi-gari
16. Knee drop osoto-gari
17. Sasae-tsurikomi ashi
18. Deashi-barai
19. Rolling knee bar
20. Pulling guard
21. Passing when the opponent pulls guard
22. Guard pull to submissions

If I had to choose only one, it would be the Lateral Drop. I have variations from Underhook, Overhook, Russian tie and Crossgrip.

I am also a big fan of Tani Otoshi, Ankle Pick, Knee Tap, Snapdown, and Collar Drag.

For reference, I am an ultra-heavyweight.

I like tani otoshi, uchi mata, harai goshi, ouchi gari and single leg takedowns. Recently I've been liking sumi gaeshi too. There are so many good takedowns, but you need to experiment to find which ones work for you.

My list of favorites are:

• Double Leg Takedown
• Single Leg Takedown
• Arm Drag to various finishes
• Snap Downs
• Fireman's Carry / Kata Guruma
• Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi
• Collar Drag

Sumi Gaeshi has been my go-to move if someone shoots me aggressively.

Collar/arm drag is what I am doing lately.

As a beginner: I like Osoto Gari both gi and no gi, as I feel like once you "invade" your opponent's space heavily and explosively, not as much can go wrong when compared to other takedowns/throws. Also, you can get to KOB or scarf hold relatively easily, which fits my "game" as much as I may have one.

I think sode tsuri komi goshi just looks super cool. You never said we had to be good at our favorites haha. A good uchi mata is a must. Ankle picks are great too. I love foot sweeps and trips but they're so feel and timing-dependent that its hard to suggest those unless you've already been doing a lot of standup for a while. And my go-to to counter a collar grip is ude gaeshi.

double leg

I think you should look at is how do you move, what do you like to do. Wrestling and Judo provide excellent takedowns the problem is how do you get them. Dropping as you lunge is ok if you have mobility but not if you don't. collar and sleeve takedowns are good if you are good at gripping and hand fighting. My favourites are takedowns starting from body clinches; both judo and wrestling have excellent take downs based on the initial entry..

To add to the list, I like to set up my takedowns by the grip.

Cross collar: push and pull + collar drag
Same side collar: pivot + sweep single or ken-ken Osoto

My game plan for takedown is to win the grip fight and get two on one and enter russian tie. Might go to front and get an underhook and neck tie which will lead to a corkscrue type of takedown.(I hugg opponent and twist him down). For russian tie main goal is to get opponents back, its again full of options.

So my favorite takedown…is to get a dominant grip and see how opponents wants to go down.

If you ever want to get your guard to a level that you are able to wrestle up then I suggest that you are going to train your single leg to a perfection. Good guys to watch are Cobrinha and Lucas Lepri!
So, for standup everything that starts with SINGLE LEG.

There are several D1 wrestlers at my school from the local college. The traditional judo throws are hard because they almost never have an upright posture. It's very frustrating.