How to Counter the Armlock from the Underhook

If you have any exposure to standup grappling then you know the power of a standing underhook. It allows you to dominate your opponent, move him around, and set up lots of throws, takedowns and other moves.

In fact, at every single UFC event you hear some cornerman yelling “underhook, Underhook, UNDERHOOK!

But have you ever gone for an underhook in the clinch only to have your opponent wrap your arm and try to apply a standing Americana lock to you?

This happens all the time and it’s cheesy, cheesy, cheesy. Arm cranking someone who is going for an underhook is a fairly low-percentage move, but it still hurts and there’s definitely a risk of hurting your shoulder…

Here’s a simple counter to this armcrank that my friend and renowned MMA coach Erik Paulson showed me for when you’re trying to get the underhook. I’m happy to report that I’ve used it many times, and that it works absolutely great (or click here for the same underhook armlock counter video on Youtube):

Comment on this page with Facebook