Table of Contents
Fence Fighting
Fighting on the fence is the defining feature of mixed martial arts. There’s no other combat sport where grappling and striking occur in between cage walls. That means MMA is an ever evolving expression of how to control and damage someone using the fence.
This section examines the best fence fighters we’ve ever seen. We’ll regularly add athletes and techniques as we do tape study. But before we look at specific athletes, let’s simplify cage wrestling as much as possible.
When you’re wrestling on the fence you’re either grabbing the upper body or the lower body. Grabbing the lower body yields singles and doubles.
Muhammad back steps to switch his stance as Edwards feints. Muhammad shoots low and Edwards’s hips hit the cage. Muhammad gets his head on Edwards’s hip and locks his hands under Edwards’s butt to lift him for a big double leg. Muhammad ends chest to chest with his head high to flatten Edwards.
Belal Muhammad - Leon Edwards
Grabbing the upper body yields trips, foot sweeps, and hip throws.
Muhammad back steps to switch his stance as Edwards feints. Muhammad shoots low and Edwards’s hips hit the cage. Muhammad gets his head on Edwards’s hip and locks his hands under Edwards’s butt to lift him for a big double leg. Muhammad ends chest to chest with his head high to flatten Edwards.
Pat Sabatini - Tucker Lutz
The best fence fighters frequently cycle between these broad categorizations to create a unique type of chain wrestling.
Makhachev follows Poirier’s punch to shoot a takedown. He locks his hands on a single, steps between Poirier’s feet to lift him up, and trips Poirier’s free leg. This takedown is particularly effective because Poirier’s position on the cage prevents him from stopping Makhachev’s posture.
Islam Makhachev - Dustin Poirier
Why The Fence Works So Well
There are a few variables that define fighting no matter what sport and style you study. One is the stance you fight from.
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