No-Gi takedowns for Jiu-Jitsu by Professor Pedro Marinho

Wrestling takedowns and hand fighting for Bjj.

If you vowed to work more on your standup game after your last BJJ competition this week on the GB Online Blog, we have some help with takedowns for you.

Professor Pedro Marinho is one of the top professional no-gi grapplers in the world in 2024 and recently taught a No-Gi takedown seminar at Gracie Barra headquarters in Florianopolis, Brazil.

The Arm Drag

The focus of the no-gi takedown seminar was the wrestling hand-fighting technique known as the Short Arm Drag for BJJ. The rules and points are different between Olympic wrestling and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu but the Arm Drag is a central technique to both sports.

The Arm Drag isn't a takedown by itself, but it is a critical part of the standup game. Getting a takedown on an experienced opponent isn't as simple as shooting in on a double leg takedown and scoring 2 points. You need to get past your opponent's defense by hand-fighting and closing the distance. That's where the Arm Drag comes in.

Professor Pedro Marinho teaches the gripping details and footwork for the Arm Drag and the bodylock takedown from the clinch in the seminar videos. But there is more to the takedown game than just knowing a few moves.

Professor Pedro demonstrates how he applies several important principles to his takedown game in the seminar. Check out the  No-Gi takedown seminar

Distance 
Professor Pedro says that the distance between the two opponents will determine what takedown you use. If you are too far away from the opponent when you go to enter into your double leg takedown, the opponent has sufficient time to sprawl and defend.

Have a Takedown System 
Professor Pedro teaches that it's not often that you can enter directly with a takedown and be successful. The majority of your attempts will be defended by your opponent and you need to know what move to follow up with. Connecting your different takedowns creates a system and allows you to flow seamlessly from one attack to the next.

Your favorite techniques will form the center point of your system. We say your system because, as Professor Pedro says, each individual will have specific techniques that work best for them. Professor Pedro loves the Knee Tap and Front Headlock, but you may prefer a Single Leg or Trips.

The system Professor Pedro shows in the seminar is based on the initial Arm Drag entry, and Professor Pedro chains follow-up techniques depending on the opponent's reaction...which leads us to our next takedown principle.

Attack the opponent's reaction
If you have watched the excellent GB3 with Professor Flavio Almeida, you will be well acquainted with the Jiu-Jitsu principle of "Attack the Reaction." In the course of teaching the seminar, Professor Pedro shows how he sets up each technique by attacking something and anticipating the opponent's defensive reaction.

Professor Pedro knows the finite number of possible ways the opponent will react and takes advantage of the timing and shift in balance by the opponent and attacks in the opponent's weak area. The smart Jiu-Jitsu student will study the opponent's reactions to their favorite techniques and use the opponent's defensive reaction to execute the takedown.

Some of the techniques covered in the No-Gi takedown seminar by Professor Pedro are Arm Drag, collar tie, Russian 2-on-1, Whizzer, Uchimata, Bodylock, Front Headlock, Guillotine choke, Armbar, and Kimura from Side Control.

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