Is the armdrag useless as a takedown in mma/self-defense?

That guy probably hasn't thought about it in the last 12 years so I'll jump in.

Most acts of aggression start out with a fair bit of posturing, flexing and pushing before real violence starts. It is during this stage where the arm drag excels. You can use the arm drag to neutralize a threat (bring a non-grappler into a grappling exchange) before anything serious happens.

I heard a Frank Mir interview where he was talking about his days bouncing, and he said almost the only thing he did was arm drag people and then RNC them, that he did it hundreds of times. And then set them down gently outside with a cup of water. It's a pretty funny interview actually.
 
Arm drags are vital for both MMA and self defense.

You wouldn't necessarily see them done at distance in a MMA or self defense situation but more from the clinch or up against a wall.
 
I heard a Frank Mir interview where he was talking about his days bouncing, and he said almost the only thing he did was arm drag people and then RNC them, that he did it hundreds of times. And then set them down gently outside with a cup of water. It's a pretty funny interview actually.

this has been my experience as well, arm drag to choke and negotiate the walkout haha its actually like a cheat code in a street altercation, because 95% of people are expecting to get into a fight with punches thrown right off the bat
 
this has been my experience as well, arm drag to choke and negotiate the walkout haha its actually like a cheat code in a street altercation, because 95% of people are expecting to get into a fight with punches thrown right off the bat

I haven't done this exactly, but same thing with a duck under in line at some crappy club my gf took me to a long time ago.
 
I've actually found the armdrag to be very useful in MMA.

Assume both you and your opponent have a standard left lead boxing stance. Your opponent throws a straight right cross that is a little too wild and off balancing. You can step forward/diagonal at roughly 45 degrees with your lead left foot. You use your hands to do basically an arm drag motion to secure his arm as you step around to his back.

You are pretty safe from strikes because you have his right arm immobilized. He can't knee you from the side/back and you are too close to side kick. You are also as far away as possible from his left arm so you are safe from punches and elbows.

After you secure the arm and step around, you are in a great position to finish with a takedown. You can simply just drop your hips down and take the rear mount. If you have good upper body takedowns, you can finish with some sort of suplex or slam.

is there a video example of this, or something similar?

Arm drags is a top self defense technique imo

how so?
 
How in the hell would this even be possible?



something like this, but from standing? I've seeing pulled off in competition, but can't remember a solid example from standing at the moment, this was the closest I could find.
 
Retherford also uses arm drags to go behind at high levels, though here again it's in situations with a prone posture rather than upright.




I would say the reason you don't see arm drags in MMA is much the same reasons you don't often see WC style 'hand traps' in MMA either; you're either out of range, in punching range, or in deep clinching range.

I think slide-bys/ducks/throw-bys would be a more applicable wrinkle, since they play off of the already ubiquitous collar tie which tends to be even more ubiquitous in MMA clinching, due to it's use in setting up strikes, and the possibility of also digging them in against the fence.

 
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The armdrag is amazing that can be used anywhere. If you're asking this question it's because u dont have a good one. Continue to use it and one day it will click properly
 
Maybe you expect to much of the armdrag.

I use the armdrag to get closer to my opponent and attack the armdrag side. Since we have the opponents arm his attacking options are limited. If the opponent drives toward us then we can drag him past us and attack from behind.
 
With both hands up, an arm drag seems a little bit awkward. Going to head control, collar tie, or bicep control just seems more natural to me
 
In street striking where people wear clothes, someone grabbing/posting on you with one hand and wailing on you with the other hand is pretty common and intuitive. In this situation armdragging is fairly easy, and it's not "opening you up" to strikes, because you were getting hit anyway, and it makes you stop getting hit.
 
What about Russian 2 on 1? I feel like it's a good alternative to the armdrag when you're parrying the lead hand.

If I'm on bottom, I'm definitely looking for armdrags though.
 
I suck at wrestling but love the arm drag, just starting doing it from butterfly guard to get the back and its working well for me. So yeah when I am doing my butterfly guard in a street fight scenario I put it to use.....
 
What about Russian 2 on 1? I feel like it's a good alternative to the armdrag when you're parrying the lead hand.

If I'm on bottom, I'm definitely looking for armdrags though.
You can armdrag from the Russian, it’s one of the easiest “not used” that often takedowns from it, as far as striking.. his other arm is free to go to town lol
 
Retherford also uses arm drags to go behind at high levels, though here again it's in situations with a prone posture rather than upright.




I would say the reason you don't see arm drags in MMA is much the same reasons you don't often see WC style 'hand traps' in MMA either.

I think slide-bys/ducks/throw-bys would be a more applicable clinch wrinkle, since they play off of the already ubiquitous collar tie which tends to be even more ubiquitous in MMA clinching, due to it's use in setting up strikes, and the possibility of also digging them in against the fence.


I prefer teaching the back hand fmdrag like retherford does in the video to the normal back hand and pressure go behind usually taught first. It’s easier for them to fall into the shot and more secure and less “feel” dependent
 
You can armdrag from the Russian, it’s one of the easiest “not used” that often takedowns from it, as far as striking.. his other arm is free to go to town lol

Do you know what the russian 2 on 1 looks like? I'm all the way opposite of his punching hand.
 
Do you know what the russian 2 on 1 looks like? I'm all the way opposite of his punching hand.
Did you seriously just ask me if I know what a Russian 2 on 1 looks like.. come on man. And you aren’t that far away lol
 


something like this, but from standing? I've seeing pulled off in competition, but can't remember a solid example from standing at the moment, this was the closest I could find.

This is an arm drag from two guys who are completely disengaged upper body, from a reach. The poster claimed dragging from a standing clinch was a good option. I cannot see any way that is even possible, and I have wrestled my entire life
 
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