Is a locked Half-Guard in MMA a bad idea?

[KJ Gould]

For submission grappling, the BJJ influenced competitions, locking a half guard is done to stop them passing to mount or to side control first and foremost to stop the guy on top scoring points.

But in MMA, the guy who spends the most time on top tends to be the one who wins the round (10-9) regardless of position.

Holding down on a half guard in MMA seems like a disservice and is just helping keep the guy on top. Your submission options are limited, but so are your escapes and sweeps until you start opening your half guard up and either looking to regain guard or get an underhook and try escape round to take his back.

In some respects I think it's better in MMA to give them a pass to side control (if you can't regain guard, and that's your strategy) as I think there are more options for escape (mostly from wrestling, not BJJ).

I see some nice looking work from deep half guard in terms of sweeps, and the 'lockdown' some like to use, but even if you can make it work it almost seems like you're over complicating the path to get top position.

Even with regards to Submission Wrestling that scores 2 points for a guard pass, strategically it might be better to concede 2 points if there's plenty of time left and you can escape and get that match ending sub, or even get back the points with a takedown and pass or knee on belly or something.

I remember Wade Schalles saying in his segment on Dominating The Mat, in wrestling it didn't matter if he gave up 2 points for being taken down if he could then reverse and get the pin. He made a point that some people get so concerned with the small points, they often forget about the big point - the finish. And I think the same is true in SW and MMA.

[hyperwildboarcreep]

As a grappler, and a MMAtist I actually love being in sombody's half guard. Its loaded with oppourtunitys for subs, and good G-n-P. Somtimes I'll even slide into sombody's half guard to set up leglocks, or strikes.

[blessthefarmer]

I wouldn't say the traditional half guard is a terrible position, but it's not the best in terms of preservation. Assume a nice arm burnout and opponent elbows and knees during transition. In a typical MMA situation, most of your defense from this position would be trying to underhook your opponent while simultaneously turning to your side with your head pinned to your opponent with your far side hand protecting your head. What in the world would stop this guy from elbowing you in the face with his underhooked arm, or punching you with his free arm while you attempt a hook sweep, or even while try to shrimp into the guard? While turning back into the guard, a hard sell on the knee push is necessary to get your legs back into the guard or a sell for a simple rollover. SO, assuming you've been taken down and taken into this natural position, and the guy isn't dumb enough to give you his back while you shrimp, you're ALWAYS open for shots. In a grappling situation, don't give him the hooks, if he's got a typical pummel/bearhug transition into kneeride cross over to belly or crossover to mount, it's the under hoods that'll keep you trapped, (in mma, assume the knee ride will flatten out if the pass fails to gut knees). Anyway, keep in your guard until you can sweep him or post off his face, keep his hips seperated with your feet and stand back up. IMO locking half guard is great for stalling or setting up turn in or hook sweeps in grappling, SHADY for MMA, and dumb for a street fight (How about a nose bite while you burn out your biceps?). Anyway, be careful with your transitions man, keep active hips, be patient, and attack and get on top as soon as you can.