In the aftermath of much anticipated Demian Maia title shot there are many speculations as to what the bjj ace could’ve or should’ve done differently. But one suggestion you don’t see all too often is pulling guard.

Pulling guard in MMA has mixed results as the MMA crowds aren’t really all that enthusiastic about groundwork as bjj practitioners. One advocate for pulling guard in MMA is Eddie Bravo. Here’s how he explains what Maia should’ve done differently to outsmart Woodley:

Maia attempted 24 takedowns and pulled off 0 according to BJJScout’s counter.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Kron talked about why he has pulled guard in all his past MMA Fights:

“I DIDN’T TRAIN TO PULL GUARD. IT SIMPLY HAPPENED,” HE SAID. “I DON’T THINK HE LET ME DO THIS, I JUST THINK HE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH OPTION. THE WAY I PULLED GUARD, IT WAS TOUGH (FOR HIM TO ESCAPE). I DON’T THINK HE EXPECTED THAT. AND ME NEITHER. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THAT MOMENT, AND IT’S HARD TO DEFEND FOR SOMETHING YOU DON’T EXPECT.”

Rickson then commented on Kron’s use of pulling guard in mma, saying he uses a ‘self defense guard’ which other BJJ fighters don’t know:

“Kron isn’t a striking expert but he has developed his to the point where he feels comfortable standing. He doesn’t feel forced to take the bout to the ground. When he feels it is the ideal moment, without hesitation, he does and displays a specific guard for MMA, much different from the one used in competitive BJJ. The difference is that, on the self-defense guard, you keep your opponent under pressure in order to have room to strike. BJJ fighters are afraid to pull into guard, because they don’t know the self-defense guard.”