Fighting from rear mount is definitely one of the things I want to try and add to my game between now and the spring, when the next tournament is likely to be. Sure, I'll still be spending plenty of remedial time with Guard Passing 101, and continuing to work on my attack from side control and transitioning to knee on belly are all important. But rear mount is a very dominant position in jiu jitsu, and as a smaller fighter, it would be worth my while to become proficient at it.
But when you've got to bail out of rear mount, you've got to bail. I've done an okay job of bailing into mount. Like the kids say, it's better than a sharp stick in the eye. But being able to "bail" into a submission would be that much better ...
The above picture shows Fabricio Werdum, a world class jiu jitero and top 10 mixed martial arts heavyweight, transitioning from rear mount to armbar against Matt Lindland, Olympic silver medalist in Greco Roman wrestling and arguably the number one mixed martial arts middleweight in the world. I'm paying especially close attention to the hand game. The standard rear undergrip is there, and Werdum reaches over with his other hand and get more control over the wrist.
Rock back, throw the outside leg up and over, in front of the face, and pull back on the arm at the wrist.
By the way, click here for the clip of the whole fight. Werdum transitions nicely from armbar attack to windmill sweep to crossover sweep. All very basic stuff, working at a world class level ...
