Basic Takedowns That Actually Work

Forget flashy throws. Learn the few high-percentage takedowns MMA beginners need, with simple setups that link your striking to your grappling.

Context

Takedowns decide where the fight happens. They are the bridge between striking and grappling.

If you can’t take someone down, you are stuck on the feet with them. If you can’t stop a takedown, you are forced to fight off your back. Control the takedown, and you control the fight. It is the most dominant skill in modern MMA.

This is why you see wrestlers excel. They understand how to put an opponent on the floor, land in a good position, and start their offense. For a beginner, this skill is not optional. It is the central pillar of a connected MMA game.

The Mistake

Beginners see highlight reels of suplexes and huge judo throws. They try to copy these low-percentage, high-risk moves in training.

It never works.

They shoot a pathetic double leg from a mile away with no setup. They get sprawled on and flattened. They try a head-and-arm throw and give up their back. They burn all their energy trying to lift a resisting opponent and have nothing left for the rest of the round.

This happens because they treat wrestling like a separate sport. They see a move, they try the move. There is no connection to the striking that came before it. This is the core reason why learning MMA like separate sports fails. A takedown in MMA is not just a wrestling move. It’s the result of a striking entry.

The Principle

The core principle is High-Percentage Setup and Entry. Your takedown attempt should be the last link in a chain, not the first.

A good takedown in MMA is not about raw strength or a fancy throw. It is about:

1. Creating an opening with your strikes. You must occupy their hands and their vision.
2. Closing the distance safely. You can’t just run at them.
3. Executing a simple, efficient technique. Use leverage, not muscle.
4. Landing in a dominant position. The goal isn't just getting them down; it's getting them down and being in a position to hit them or submit them.

We don’t hunt for takedowns. We create opportunities for them through pressure, striking, and footwork. We choose simple techniques because they are reliable under pressure. They work when you are tired and the other guy is trying to take your head off.

Practical Application

Forget the dozens of throws and trips you see. Master these few. They make up the vast majority of successful takedowns you see in high-level MMA.

The Double Leg Off The Jab

This is the most fundamental takedown in the sport. The jab is not for damage. It’s to create the opening. Your jab blinds the opponent, forcing a defensive reaction. As they react, you change levels.

• Setup: Throw a firm jab to their face. Their hands will come up to block or parry.
• Entry: As soon as your jab hand retracts, drop your level. Your head goes to the outside of their hip.
• Finish: Drive forward with your legs, not your back. Wrap your arms around the back of their legs. Keep driving until their feet leave the ground or they fall over. Land in their guard.

The Body Lock Takedown

This is your go-to takedown in the clinch, especially against the cage. It’s a close-range, grinding takedown that relies on control, not explosiveness.

• Setup: Enter the clinch after a striking combination or by catching a kick. Get your head under their chin and your hands locked around their body.
• Control: Squeeze and use your head to break their posture. Walk them backward.
• Finish: Your goal is to get their weight onto one leg. Use your leg to trip their leg (an inside or outside trip). Use your upper body grip to pull them over the trip. You don't lift; you simply redirect their weight over your blocking leg.

The Snap-Down

This isn’t a penetration shot. It’s a counter. You use it when an opponent pushes into you or posts their hands on you to create space. You use their pressure against them.

• Setup: The opponent pressures forward and places hands on your head or shoulders.
• Execution: Grab the back of their neck and/or triceps. In one explosive motion, snap their head down towards the mat. Drop your weight and move your feet back.
• Finish: If they fall to their knees, you are in a front headlock position. From here you can spin to their back, look for a choke (guillotine, anaconda), or land knees to the body. It’s a takedown that flows directly into a dominant attacking position.

The Single Leg to Inside Trip

Many beginners get the single leg and then stall. They don't know how to finish it. Trying to lift and run is taxing. The inside trip is the simple, high-percentage finish.

• Setup: Change levels off a striking entry, just like the double leg. This time, you target one leg.
• Entry: Secure the leg. Your head must be on the inside, pressing into their ribs. Squeeze their leg tight to your chest.
• Finish: Keep forward pressure with your head. Use your inside leg to step deep between their legs and hook the back of their supporting thigh. Drive forward and pivot. They will fall over your leg.

Tradeoff

The tradeoff is clear: You sacrifice flash for reliability.

These takedowns will not make your highlight reel. They are not spectacular. A grinding body lock trip against the fence doesn't look as cool as a belly-to-back suplex.

But they work. They win fights.

You are trading a 10% chance of a spectacular throw (with a high risk of losing position) for an 80% chance of a simple, effective takedown that lands you in side control or guard. This is the difference between an amateur and a professional. It's the core of what works, whether you're a beginner learning from home or a champion in a cage. Serious fighters care about what works consistently.

Action Step

Pick ONE of these takedowns this week. Just one. Let’s use the double leg.

Your only goal is to drill the setup. During your shadowboxing or bag work, do this:

1. Throw a crisp jab.
2. As you bring the jab back, immediately perform an explosive level change. Drop your hips and bend your knees. Touch your lead knee to the ground.
3. Spring back up to your stance.

Do 3 sets of 10. That's it. Focus on making the transition from the jab to the level change smooth and fast. Do not worry about the finish. Master the entry first. This is how you build a real, integrated MMA game.

Next Step

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