MMA Ground Game vs. Street Ground Defense

Since starting my preparation for MMA competition, I’ve gone back into Brazilian Jiu-jitsu training. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is widely hailed as the most comprehensive system for training the MMA ground game. While it does teach important body maneuvering and positional strategy that can enhance your ability to defend yourself on the ground in a real street situation, the competition emphasis of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu lacks a number of important components for realistic street defense on the ground.

The two most important things to keep in mind in ground defense on the street are that there are no gender/weight classes and no rules. When there are no weight classes, it means that a 90 lb. woman could be faced with a 240 lb. man. And it is generally accepted that given a ground fight between two people with equal technique, the larger person will win.

The fact that there are no rules can help tip the scales for the smaller person. Here are 6 targets and tactics that are not allowed in MMA tournaments, but can greatly aid in ground defense on the street:

1) The groin. This is bar none the most important target in reality ground defense that is not considered in MMA tactics. Since it is an illegal target, you’ll see a number of holding positions applied that leave the groin completely wide open as a target. In reality, it is a vital target because it takes so little force to affect it. Even a minor flick with an open hand can cause a man to jump, so you can imagine what kind of effects you’d get if you manage to grab hold of the area and give a solid squeeze.

2) The eyes. While it is completely understandable that attacking the eyes would be illegal in MMA, they are a very effective target that can’t be ignored on the street. You can flick your finger tips across them, causing them to water and blur the vision. You can also bore into them with a thumb to pry a person off you and create space for follow-up strikes. And, of course, both these tactics can be very painful.

3) Pressure points. Many pressure points are illegal in MMA tournaments, despite the fact that they are safe to use on an opponent with little to no risk of permanent injury. Some of these include: mandibular angle (along the jaw line, approximately 1” below the ear, jugular notch, the intercostal nerves of the lateral thoracic (between the ribs). With the aid of a knuckle, a few fingers or a thumb, these can be used to cause intense pain, thereby providing leverage points that can help you pry a person off of you and give you the necessary space to do even more devastating strikes.

4) Pinching. It is not considered the most “manly” of defensive tactics, but it certainly has a place in reality ground defense. While pinching can hurt pretty much any place you can grab hold of skin, two of the most sensitive areas you can target are the upper inner thigh and the upper inner arms. A sharp, pinch and twist can cause many an attacker to immediately lift their hips and recoil in pain. Plus, there’s the added benefit of causing a nasty bruise that can help identify an attacker to police.

5) The Hair. Despite the fact that it is an illegal target in MMA, most competitors either shave their heads or tie their hair back in a way that keeps it from getting pulled or trapped in the natural progression of the ground game. Pulling the hair is painful and is great for taking control of the attacker’s head. One of my favourite Jiu-jitsu sayings confirms this: Where the head goes, the body follows.

6) The Fingers. The fingers, toes and wrists are illegal targets in MMA because of the volume of injuries that would occur if they were allowed. Because they are smaller joints, they are much easier to injure, dislocate, and break. This is exactly the reason why they make such great targets in real self-defense. The most important of these targets is the fingers as the toes are covered by shoes, and it takes a lot more skill to effectively attack the wrist. In a ground attack, the aggressor is likely to try and grip some part of you to hold you down. In going for the grip, there is an opportunity to grab onto the fingers and in one sharp, effortless motion, dislocate and or break them.

On the street, ultimately you want to stay OFF the ground. This is because there are a number of risk factors on the street that make fighting from the ground particularly dangerous. Please refer to my article Why Grappling is More Effective in the Ring than in Reality for more details.