Wrestling takedowns can be effective in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but wrestlers should be cautious of certain techniques that leave them vulnerable to submissions.
The best wrestling takedowns for BJJ keep the wrestler in a dominant position on top where they have more control over the pace and can work to pass the guard. But overall, wrestlers need to be cautious of their habit of “going 100%” on takedowns against BJJ opponents who are waiting to capitalize on any mistakes and catch a neck or a limb. With time, wrestlers can adapt their style and learn to defend against common BJJ submissions in order to use their takedowns more effectively.
Division 1 wrestling champion Brandon Reed is also a BJJ purple belt. He discusses this in a video below.
Reed stated:
“The Top 3 Takedowns I Would NOT Do in BJJ.
Tbh, I wouldn’t say they’re “BAD” for BJJ. But more or less a bit RISKY. This is especially compared to those takedowns that don’t constantly expose your neck or back.
In wrestling these 3 takedowns are pretty well known, and pretty high percentage…BUT
In BJJ, these takedowns tend to have more risk than reward.
This is why ruleset matters.
This is not to say you can’t do these successfully in BJJ. It’s just that they come with more risk than many other takedown options.”
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