Bear Traps, Mir Locks, & More: Technical Trends From 2024 ADCC Worlds
Bear Traps, Mir Locks, & More: Technical Trends From 2024 ADCC Worlds
After the dust has settled at the 2024 ADCC World Championships, here are six interesting techniques and strategies we saw from the tournament
The ADCC World Championships have come to a close and with dozens of world ranked grapplers taking to the mats, there was a lot for fans of elite grappling to appreciate. We saw some really interesting techniques and strategies being used that we want to highlight.
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Some of these were only seen in a match or two, some were more popular strategies that are permeating through the event. Regardless, they were all something fans can appreciate at a technical level.
The Bear Trap
If there one technique that people were talking about at ADCC, it is Felipe Pena's bear trap. This lower leg entanglement (that is popular among some Gracie Barra students) works with Preguica's 50/50 guard and X guard to create a lock that slows down pacing and potentially lets him come to top position.
He is using his legs to enter and lock around the calf like many would lock around the thigh for the cross ashi/saddle position. Once he is there, Felipe is either getting double under hooks, locking his hands, and wrestling his way on top with the lock still on, or he scoops under the far leg and rolls them to top. This lock was so strong that Gordon is believed to have suffered a ligament tear trying to escape it.
The bear trap is a useful holding position for the leg locker. Maybe it doesn't result in many submissions (at least against professionals) but it does offer a lot of control and sweeping potential. Felipe wasn't the only one using the bear trap - Dante Leon also used it against Giancarlo Bodoni in the absolute bronze medal match as part of a consistent arsenal of lower body offense.
The Mir Lock
No one at ADCC 2024 had more of a star-making performance than Adele "Daddy" Fornarino - and her signature moment was likely the divisional finals submission that she hit. This rotational shoulder lock is known commonly as "The Mir Lock" and can be a really devastating hold.
Named for UFC legend Frank Mir, this shoulder lock comes on similar to an Americana. Adele used this from closed guard - likely the strongest position to use it - with the overhook that she plays with a lot. From there, she grips her own hands in a gable grip, traps the wrist/hand in her shoulder, and uses her forearms to drive the elbow inside.
It's really a pretty simple lock but one that brings a lot of power once you start involving your whole body in the closed guard. Adele has shown this submission before, hitting it against Jessie Crane at IBJJF No-Gi Worlds last December.
Back Tracking
Gordon set a record at ADCC when he scored 21 points against Yuri Simoes, winning their super fight in dominant fashion as Gordon secured his seventh gold medal at the event. 21 points broke the record for most in a super fight, a record Gordon broke in 2022 with 12.
How did he do it? He used his "back tracking" method, using Yuri's resistance to pressure to move back into relatively dominant positions where he could get right back on offense. For example, he was able to score repeatedly by letting Yuri struggle and expend energy from mount to three-quarter mount - only to immediately pass again.
We have seen champions like Lucas Lepri use similar strategies in the past, going up by huge margins using incremental backwards movement to score again. The value is simple, you become unbeatable on the scoreboard, you force your opponent into a defensive mindset, and exhaust them in the process. Many just quit. To Yuri's credit, he kept fighting until the end.
Back tracking is a strategy that turns a pass into a dominant sequence, and makes your pinning much more effective over time. For anyone who hasn't played around with back tracking, take this record breaking performance as a sign.
North South Passing
If there's one takeaway from passing, it is how often the north south position has become the target for top grapplers. Now that outside passing is favored by so many, finishing to north south is really as easy - if not a little easier - than crashing down into side control.
Someone who makes great use of this is Jay Rodriguez, who is developing a very solid passing style that combines side to side loose passes with high body locks that he uses to mount. What was really impressive was watching him crash through the guard on full commitment knee slides, then turning into north south rather than ever trying to secure side control.
This kind of pass has the advantage of staying away from the legs and any potential guard that can be recovered. It does mean the hips are uncovered, though, so the opponent can wrestle up if they gain separation - which is what Bodoni was able to do in the finals when faced with this position.
The Junny Lock
There was only one example of it but I have to shout out PJ Barch's 'Junny Lock' that he hit to win bronze against Elijah. So named for its innovator/popularizer Junny Ocasio (#2 ranked bantamweight in FloGrappling's no-gi rankings), the Junny Lock is a version of a heel hook that has been popping up more and more over the last few years.
This leg lock is really creative in that it breaks the fundamental rule of inside position, which assumes inside position means you are safe while leg locking. Instead, this lock starts from the outside but still creates enough tension in the knee to force real breaking pressure - and get the tap even at the pro level. It's like a glitch in the system that is usually very safe from counter offense but one that clearly has to be respected.
There's no better example than this one from Barch, who unties Elijah's saddle position and locks into that top leg with a heel hook grip. With Elijah locked in by his own other leg, he can only roll so far before the twist and pressure in the knee is too much.
Body Lock Takedowns
Elite grapplers have to be able to dominate from a body lock, and we saw a lot of that in ADCC. Some of the most impressive takedowns were body locks and they offer a few benefits to many other takedowns - but none is more important to ADCC than that you land chest to chest.
With that chest to chest position on the body lock, you are able to pin them down following the takedown and negate most of the scramble back up - compared to a leg attack like a single or double which everyone was scrambling out of more readily. Someone who did a great job with that is Elijah Dorsey, who took down JT Torres like that, and PJ Barch, who in the no points period had a great takedown to half guard on Mica. The body lock also brings the versatility of becoming a strong position to start taking the back from if the opponent turns away.
If you want a good example of that over the weekend, Luke Griffith has really mastered how to turn a body lock into a back take and nearly won gold using his back attack skills. That rear body lock is becoming a favorite for grapplers to hold until they have a very strong lower body connection (like a body triangle) before working into the traditional seatbelt.
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