L-R: Neil Melanson, legendary catch wrestler Billy Robinson, Chael Sonnen and Randy Couture.
I've said this before - and it's not an original thought by any means - but the key to beating Anderson Silva is to take him down, stay on top of him and tire him out, mainly through ground and pound, and then, when he is tired, go for the submission.
No other ground fighting style executes this as well as catch wrestling, and it looks like Chael Sonnen, in preparation for his fight with Silva at UFC 117, has sought some of the best catch wrestling trainers out there.
What is catch wrestling, you say? Well, for one thing, it's a viable alternative to the ever-popular BJJ that emphasizes take-downs, top control, and submissions from any angle/position. Catch's wiki puts it thus: "a style of Folk wrestling made popular in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents. The style derives from a number of influences, most significantly the regional styles of Europe such as English Lancashire wrestling and the Irish Collar-and-elbow."
Catch seemed to nearly die off when pro wrestling became all choreographed, but has enjoyed a resurgence in the last few years, thanks to guys like Jake Shannon at Scientific Wrestling. Erik Paulson, a former Shooto champion, has trained in catch, and based much of his Combat Submission Wrestling on the style. Paulson's most famous and successful student is Josh Barnett, but watch out for Titan Fitness' Tyler Xuan Saltsman.
Neil Melanson, contrary to popular belief, said he is not a jiu-jitsu practitioner, and has never trained in a gi. Melanson, head grappling coach at Xtreme Couture is a catch wrestler, and can probably trace his lineage something like this: Melanson - Gokor Chivichyan - Gene LeBell - "Strangler Ed Lewis/KarlGotch/Lou Thesz.
A look at Chael Sonnen's tour-de-force win over Nate Marquardt will tell you he's been doing something different in training. No, it wasn't pretty, and yeah, it was bloody, but Sonnen clearly dominated that fight.
There's no question that Anderson Silva is a great striker - and that his one Achilles heel seems to be his ground game (despite his black belt in BJJ) - the key is to be the right guy to exploit it. I don't know if Chael Sonnen is that guy, but he's clearly doing everything he can to try.
Sonnen training with Melanson and Couture at UFC 109.
Yori Nakamura - Shooto submission combination #1.
Leave a comment