You Should Know These 2 BJJ Techniques

By Matt Bryers, February 11, 2019

2 Of Neil Melanson’s Most Powerful Techniques

Neil Melanson is a guy who needs no introduction. Neil could easily be considered one of the most dangerous men on the planet. Neil Melanson is an American combat sports coach who is currently the head grappling coach of the infamous Blackzillians MMA Team at Jaco Hybrid Training Center. He previously was head coach at both Xtreme Couture Las Vegas and Alliance MMA. Melanson specializes in Catch wrestling, while drawing elements from Judo. He is especially known for his guard work, leg locks and triangle chokes.

The kimura is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful arm control "systems" in Jiu Jitsu. In fact it would be awesome if bad ass Neil Melanson did a whole DVD series on the kimura itself... oh wait.

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Today we are going to take a look at two of Neil Melanson’s most powerful techniques. He has taught these techniques to many high level mixed martial artists and grapplers all over the world. Let’s dive in!

#1: The Power Kimura

The power grip for kimura is a nice tight grip. The pressure in this grip is important. There are advantages to this grip – it is a very strong grip, and you keep the arm bent. Watch the video now and then we will break down the technique. Check it out!

Pay attention to Neil as he demonstrates the positioning of his arms to trap his opponent’s arm. What people forget about this grip is that to really lock it you want to hug it into your chest. Once you hug it there is no way your training partner is going to get their arm straight. To get in the submission position Neil Melanson likes to grind away at his opponent. He drops his hips right across his opponent’s face and then drags his body across it. You will see that it takes very little to get the tap.

#2: The Snap Guard

The snap down guard is very effective for snapping an opponent down and getting on top. This is not a traditional sweep, and comes from someone who has a very advanced understanding of wrestling and other types of grappling. Watch the video below and then we will break down Neil Melanson’s snap guard technique. Check it out now!

What is interesting about the snap guard is that it is very unsuspected. Your opponent will have no idea what you are going for, probably thinking you are going to attack a leg lock instead. But this is not the case. The snap guard is highly effective and can be used by anyone even with limited amount of experience. The whole idea with the snap guard is to go from a bottom position to a snap down position, with an over hook head lock or whatever the case might be. You start in a single leg half guard similar to the style of Craig Jones. Keep your knee out so your opponent can’t change direction. Block the under hook and get an over hook of your own. Now from this position keep the wrist away from your body and pivot with your hand. Stretch your opponent out and escape your hips. Now you can pivot and apply pressure. Remember you want to be on your training partner’s arm, not his shoulder. You can do this very quickly and very aggressively and there are tons of locks available to submit with.

By combining techniques from a variety of different sports, Neil Melanson has put together one of the most unique fighting styles known today. For more amazing techniques from Neil Melanson check out his latest instructional series “The Filthy Kimura” available right here on BJJFanatics.com!