3 Submissions For BJJ From Kazushi Sakuraba

This Is Your Chance To Get Insight Into How One Of The Most Legendary Mixed Martial Artists of All Time, "The Gracie Hunter" Kazushi Sakuraba Approaches Submissions!

Kazushi Sakuraba is a legendary professional wrestler and mixed martial artist from Japan. Sakuraba currently competes in the Rizin Fighting Federation but he has also competed in major promotions such as PRIDE Fighting Championship, and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Sakuraba rose to prominence after taking wins over four members of the legendary Brazilian Jiu Jitsu family, the Gracies. After defeating Royce Gracie, Ryan Gracie, Renzo Gracie, and Royler Gracie, Sakuraba was given the nickname “The Gracie Hunter.” This sealed Sakuraba status as one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a discipline made for the smaller man to be able to beat the bigger man. It doesn’t matter if you are smaller, slower, or older, if you know more about applying leverage and technique then you can still sweep and submit anyone. As a career roosterweight, no one knows this better than Bruno Malfacine

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Recently BJJ Fanatics took a trip to Japan to meet and train with Kazushi Sakuraba. While there, 5 Time World Champion Bernardo Faria and current grappling all star Craig Jones asked Sakuraba to demonstrate a couple of his favorite submissions. Let’s take a look at what Sakuraba had to show!

#1: Using The Wrist Lock To Get The Rear Naked Choke

If there is one submission Sakuraba is well known for after all the MMA matches he did in PRIDE it is his rear naked choke. This is an interesting take on the rear nake choke because Sakuraba also uses a wrist lock to finish it. Typically when you try to finish the rear nake choke your training partner is going to try and block your arm in an attempt to stop you from reaching the submission. Sakuraba reaches in and grabs his opponent’s wrist from behind and pulls it back. When this happens, his training partner will either tap from the wrist lock or let go allowing Sakuraba to finish the rear naked choke.

#2: Amazing Detail To Finish The Kimura

This is another great technique for when you are struggling to finish your submission. Typically when you are going for a kimura submission it can be difficult or impossible to break your training partner’s grip. If you have followed Sakuraba’s MMA career then you know he has an amazing kimura. From side control, Sakuraba locks up the kimura. To keep break his opponent’s grip he places his knee on his opponent’s arm, pinning it to the mat. It is a simple detail but it makes all the difference when it comes to making your kimura more effective.

#3: How To Finish The Arm Bar From The Turtle Position

Here is another take on what to do if you can’t finish the kimura on a turtled opponent. In a case where you have you kimura locked up on your training partner from the turtle position, you can pull your training partner’s leg to your shoulder instead of trying to break the grip. This puts you in a position that is similar to deep half guard. When you do this it will break your opponent’s grip and give you an easy arm bar to finish with.

These made seem like really simple techniques from one of the greatest grapplers in the world, but it is small details like this that can take a decent submission and make it much more effective. Sakuraba is a legend for a reason: his submissions are incredibly effective, and he has spent many years refining them. So no matter what level of experience you have there are little details like this that you can apply to your own Brazilian Jiu Jitsu game. Be sure to give these simple techniques a try, you will be surprised at just how much more effective your submissions become!

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