Here is the great Andre Galvao using a diving kimura to force a predictable reaction out of an opponent and using a vicious armbar to take his opponent's back. Relying on the kimura so heavily (not to mention giving the opponent one's back so routinely) above steady movement through the positional hierarchy is not the jiu-jitsu norm, but plenty of active competitors have realized the benefits of the kimura as a positional weapon rather than a submission attempt. Take a look at how Sakuraba actively and repeatedly gives his back to Kevin Randleman (of suplex fame) en route to separating Randleman's hands and using the kimura to turn him. Once this was accomplished he could simply spin with the kimura and try to wrench the opponent's shoulder while standing-as he did to Renzo Gracie-or he could use it to turn them. With the opponent's hands locked around him from behind, however, was where Sakuraba-the anti-technician that he was-did much of his best work.įrom this position Sakuraba would work to figure-four his grip and separate his opponent's wrists. Whether you're a wrestler or a jiu-jitsu fighter, you want to be the guy with a body lock from the opponent's back. I'm sure anyone who has seen a single Mixed Martial Arts event in the last five years will be able to tell me why that is such a poor position in the traditional positional hierarchy.
Sakuraba's fights often featured prolonged periods of fighting from this position. While I am certainly nowhere near as comfortable talking grappling as I am when I am talking the ins and outs of striking, I cannot help but appreciate the unorthodox methods that made Sakuraba such a difficult man to fight in his youth and have made him such an inspiration in my own training. Similar to the boxer who will drop his hands and throw looping counters, Sakuraba would put himself in calculated danger on the mat to secure his infamous kimura lock or a knee bar. Sakuraba is an excellent example of a fighter who excelled in "anti-technique". Kazushi Sakuraba is truly an all time great in the MMA world, but an often under-appreciated technician.
Rather than drop out of the tournament which the bout was part of, Sakuraba went on to fight Igor Vovchanchyn- the scariest striker in MMA at the time and a heavyweight- to a respectable loss in the same night.
Sakuraba's first bout with Royce Gracie went 90 minutes (the longest MMA bout in history) by Gracie's request and ended with the Gracie corner throwing in the towel. Sakuraba defeated four members of the legendary Gracie family when they were still a name to be feared in the sport.
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