Kimura from Mount by Marcelo Cohen

Posted by Fanatics Authors on August 12, 2018

The kimura from the closed guard is a powerful submission. It’s well known, it’s respected, and it’s undoubtedly an important part of any fundamental BJJ program. But as the years go by, and your training partners and opponents become savvy to your love of the famed submission, you may meet increasingly more resistance and road blocks when trying to finish.

Marcleo Cohen is no stranger to the magic and versatility of the kimura. In EBI 10 Marcelo relentlessly pursued a kimura to its completion in a lengthy exchange against Joey Diehl that began in the closed guard. Marcelo ended up getting a nice finish from the mount. You can view an excellent breakdown of the chain of events from start to finish demonstrated by Marcelo himself here:

Marcelo first baits his opponent into reaching under his leg. Once this has occurred, he puts his legs in what might be described as a triangle set up position. The new bite Marcelo has achieved on his partners right shoulder gives him the ability to apply more leverage to the technique. He could perhaps finish the submission here with the new set of controls he’s acquired, but Marcelo ends up ridding his partners defensive roll and lands in the mount. We may not often think of the kimura from the mounted position. Making room to get some torque on the arm can be difficult from the mount, but Marcelo has a great answer. Using his head to balance, Marcelo steps over his partners head and scoops it with his left calf forcing yet another roll, this time ending with the appropriate leverage to finish the submission.

This is a great spin on a classic submission, and some insight into finishing the kimura from a more uncommon spot. Keep it in mind the next time you’re chasing a kimura around the mat!

Ready to take your kimura game to the next level? Check out Marcelo Cohen's complete "Kimura System" from BJJ Fanatics!

BUY NOW