Photo by Esther Lin for MMA Fighting.
Dustin Poirier was slotted to face three different opponents at several points in the lead up to UFC 143. Finally after a rash of injuries, UFC rookie Max Holloway was the man across the cage from Poirier. Holloway, while an interesting prospect and exciting striker, is fairly inexperienced on the ground. On the other had, Poirier is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under TUF veteran Tim Credeur. While that might not sound impressive to the modern MMA fan, who is used every fighter sporting a black belt, the purple belt is the first of the 'upper' belts. The gap between a purple belt and a black belt is in the details, but the difference between a white belt and a purple can be a chasm.
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That chasm is mainly due to the fact that purple belts have learned to think two or three moves ahead, while white belts are thinking in the moment, putting them at a disadvantage. Anticipating submission openings in transitions is a skilled acquired by years of grappling, and this includes transitions that come after escaping a submission. Known as chaining, experienced grapplers often can make one submission flow into another by taking full advantage of the transition created by escaping from one submission attack.
Dustin Poirier attacked transitions to perfection against Max Holloway and the result was something akin of quick sand. Each time Holloway made an attempt to save himself or escape all he did was sink himself deeper and deeper into danger.
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Poirier's attack began from mount, when Holloway desperately attempted to escape he left his arm exposed and Poirier pounced. The position he ended up was not the traditional armbar, instead the leg that normally goes over the face is behind the head. While unorthodox the armbar can still be finished, but escape is easier because Holloway can turn towards Poirier and sit up out of the arm bar.
Poirier is ready for this escape and slides his left leg over Holloway's free arm, from this point the triangle choke is being set up because Holloway's head and left arm are in play. As Holloway turns toward Poirier and sits up he thinks he is getting his arm out of danger but in reality he is turning into a triangle choke. Poirier's left leg, which was poised for this, leaps up and bites down on the back of Holloway's neck breaking his posture. Poirier then locks up a loose triangle choke.
After the triangle is locked on Holloway attempts to quickly twist out of the choke, and when it fails his balance is destroyed and he begins to fall on his side. Poirier looks to roll to mount and to force Holloway over he posts his hand on the mat. With his hand stabilizing, Poirier is able to lift his hips and turn them over into mount. Once in mount, Poirier looks to finish to the triangle choke by traping Holloway's arm across his chest but Holloway resists. This resistance allows Poirier to trap Holloway's arm, and extend it. Trapping Holloway's extended arm against him body, Poirier pushes his hips forward to extend the joint to the breaking point and force the tap.
7 recs | 24 comments
He’s pretty slick
Afrotikiman - February 7, 2012 via mobile
When Max rolled out of the armbar I was like "OH SH*&"
And then a split second later that triangle got locked and I was like “oh sh*&”
HeadKickLegSweep - February 7, 2012
Adding the pictures and captioning the details really adds to this Judo Chop
It’s one thing to read it and see gifs and it’s another to have it broken down with the picture for each moment versus trying to catch it during the gif. Me likey.
Good stuff.
menckenstein - February 7, 2012
I do like the pictures, it allows the finer points to be shown off instead of trying to catch it in a gif. Ideally, I’d like to see a few breakdown pictures like this followed by a gif where you can see it all put together.
KyroJudo - February 7, 2012
the gifs are being held off on as per request of Nate
T.P. Grant - February 7, 2012
That's what I heard as well
Something about the UFC asking the site not to post animated gifs of recently held events.
Either way, the still shots with captions capture the little details and seeing the gifs in full motion gives us the context. If I could have one or the other, I actually prefer the still shots with captions as, like anything else, it’s all in the details.
KenCanFightBear - February 7, 2012
Great chop yet again!
KenCanFightBear - February 7, 2012
Oh yeah, I’m aware of that. I would just like to see the picture by picture breakdown used in the future, when it isn’t just recent events where gifs aren’t being used.
KyroJudo - February 7, 2012
Repectfully disagree
While this picture by picture break down is somewhat easier to grasp initially, I much prefer a gif. Highlighting specific transition points is great, but nothing compares to the understanding gained by watching the whole sequence of events in motion. I’ll often have to rewatch the gif many times to understand what the article is talking about, but afterwards my knowledge is more complete.
RamboBatman - February 7, 2012
hopefully we'll be able to rock both very soon
Nate Wilcox - February 7, 2012
GIFs with occasional pauses and Text to break down the finer points would be slick.
Snatchl - February 7, 2012
They also tend to be massive in file size
Standard gifs accompanied by labeled diagrams would be the best option.
KJ Gould - February 7, 2012
Gets a rec from me
I love Judo Chops!
eyeIess - February 7, 2012
I thought I was alone in this
Though I do also think the gifs are helpful for just seeing how it all looks in action and I also think it’s absolutely ridiculous that the UFC would ask sites not to post them.
Hummus5989 - February 7, 2012
This
Was a thing of beauty. Mounted triangle FTW!
Max put himself right in that triangle though.
taptomyarmbar - February 7, 2012
"Frantic tapping"
encapsulates that perfectly.
Poirier did a great job of preventing the hitchiker escape very early on, then anticipating Holloway’s turn. Another great sequence came about when he off-balanced Holloway, who was slow on getting both hands on the junction between legs, as that let him get into mount and then capture the trapped arm more securely.
Holloway was too slow in a variety of ways and Poirier was blocking escapes that weren’t even happening yet. Great sub.
Ben Thapa - February 7, 2012
Seems like he lost his cool in there, being so young and his first fight in the big show must have been a real mental hurdle for Holloway.
I think he would have done better against Poirier if it had been his second or third fight in the UFC, but he was just thrown to the wolves.
DirtyML - February 7, 2012
remember Holloway stepped up on short notice
and based on the level of Holloway’s grappling, I think Poirier out grapples him 10 times out of 10.
The is new in the sport and just doesn’t have the mat time to hang with a guy like Poirier, but Holloway has plenty of time to improve.
T.P. Grant - February 7, 2012
i have an idea to replace the gifs
a very long sequence of pictures that we can scroll very fast and make it look like it is moving…
kidding
nice breakdown
gabriezim - February 7, 2012
Was anyone else surprised
that Poirier’ didn’t have his top leg over Holloway’s face when he went for the original armbar?
polevaultking - February 7, 2012
It's not an absolute requirement.
In some situations, I even like having the leg jammed up against the head. It allows for a different angle and lends itself well to a potential back take.
I’ve seen this flavor of armbar used before. I want to say Maia, but that might not be right, as he could have used it as a transition to a triangle as well.
Ben Thapa - February 7, 2012
I've seen Royler use a similar armbar
T.P. Grant - February 7, 2012
normally i like the other type
its the other way around ,the bottom leg is bent and jammed in the armpit with the top leg over the face. But i use the omaplata setup for arm bars and triangles much more than armbars.
Beren - February 7, 2012
Great Judo Chop.
Was anyone else a little worried about Holloways arm during the initial armbar. It looked like it was pretty deep for a bit getting bent around and like he was about to tap. He was definitely either panicking or in pain by his facial expression at one point.
NickRingp4pGOAT - February 8, 2012
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