Analyzing the Ground Game: TJ Waldburger

Analyzing the Ground Game: TJ Waldburger The Dynamic Texan

There are very few MMA fighters who can really catch a fans eye with their grappling prowess alone. TJ Waldburger is one of those rare men who does. TJ is not a renown grappler from the sport BJJ realm, but instead a guy who has a real knack for grappling and submissions from every position. There are some people for whom grappling just comes naturally. This is in no way implying TJ hasn’t worked hard, but when looking at his skills on the ground there is something special about his ability to burst into submissions from some of the most awkward positions. Fighters with comparable abilities include Paul Sass (who also fights this weekend at Bellator 104), or Shinya Aoki. They have something unique when the fight hits the mat – a dynamic that is hard to explain but comes natural to them.

TJ Waldburger is only twenty-five years old, and already has twenty-three fights. At only seventeen Waldburger went pro, and has been on the grind since. Waldburger has had some ups and downs, but in the last four years he has gone 7-2. and those two losses were to current UFC welterweight challenger Johny Hendricks, and the ‘Hairow’ himself Brian Ebersole. Not to mention Waldburger fought Pete Spratt, twice, when he was eighteen years old going one and one with the veteran. The key here is Waldburger is not someone to sleep on, and has proven himself game his entire career, regardless of his age.

TJ is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and has shown skills well beyond even that belt level. Throughout his MMA and UFC career, TJ has shown an ability to adapt and overcome, with a grappling creativity beyond his years.

The Dynamic Techniques of TJ Waldburger:

•The Set up

•The Arm Bar

•The Triangle

The Set up

It’s no secret that TJ’s base is BJJ and not wrestling, so getting fighters down is not always so clean cut or simple. TJ has adapted his game to fit this, and creates opportunities that suit him well.

In his first UFC appearance, TJ fought David Mitchell, a crafty grappler in his own right. Mitchell’s game plan during this fight was to put TJ on his back and work his top game. However, TJ was not having it, and kept his hips low reversing Mitchell and out grappling him for three rounds. In this specific moment Mitchell is driving into TJ against the fence. TJ is doing something that isn’t so uncommon at first glace. Many fighters will defend take downs against the cage with submissions, and specifically kimuras. The difference here is TJ used it as a reversal/take down against Mitchell.

Against the cage TJ can be seen stepping backwards with his right leg to create more space to defend Mitchell’s shot, and to put into motion what is to follow. As TJ steps backwards with his right leg, he avoids fully planting the right foot and drops his hips. With these motions he not only uses his own force from yanking at the arm, but adds the momentum of his full body weight moving increasing his leverage to a very large degree. With regards to hand and grip placement this is a textbook standing kimura. The left hand comes under and through Mitchell’s arm grabbing TJ’s own while the right hand loops around grabbing Mitchell’s forearm. The key to this technique is how close he keeps the arms to his body in the throw. As TJ drops his hips he is creating a very small turning radius for Mitchell to traverse. Since TJ keeps the lock tight and turns inwards Mitchell is forced over with more leverage than brute strength, as his shoulder would pop if he resisted incorrectly. In the end TJ adapts to the situation creating an opportunity for himself with a slick technique.

Against Mike Stumpf ,TJ lands a powerful leg kick throwing Stumpf off balance causing him to fall a bit and spin. This exposes Stumpf’s back. Here TJ shows an expert ability to take advantage of a situation. The exposing of the back causes TJ to barrel into Stumpf as fast as he can, immediately taking the back. Stumpf tries to resist, but with TJ high on his back, they fall onto the canvas and TJ adjusts his placement on the back as well as working in his hooks. While there is some awesome technique illustrated here, the focus should be on how opportunistic and dynamic TJ is in situations. The creativity from awkward situations is a scenario TJ thrives in.

The Arm Bar

A staple of TJ’s submission arsenal is his arm bar. TJ has textbook technique, and one of the most consistent and well set up arm bars in the game. When TJ locks the arm in, it’s inevitable the fight is going to end soon.

Relatively early in TJ’s career he fought current welterweight veteran Brian Foster. Here TJ works his open guard high, pinning Foster’s arms inward with his legs. TJ sets up the arm bar beautifully. With his right hand he cups Foster’s head, pulls it down, and opens up his hips, throwing his right leg across Foster’s face. As his leg comes across Foster’s face, TJ switches hands cupping for a split second with his left hand, while his right secures the arm. To finish the technique, TJ extends his legs and straightens out Foster’s arm. Foster tries to explode out of it, but midway through the air, his arm is fully locked out and as he is unable to carry the weight of TJ’s body and falls to the ground. Only moments after touching the canvas, Foster start tapping repeatedly. The fluidity of TJ’s submissions is fantastic, and a mesmerizing chain of events to watch.

In TJ’s UFC bout with Jake Hecht, he achieves back mount and begins working for the arm bar from there. The unusual part about this whole series of events is that Jake Hecht was in the middle of standing up when TJ hit this move. Hecht has all four of his limbs driving upwards to keep the clever TJ off his back, but in the middle of this, he gives up his arm. The balance shown here is fantastic. TJ almost falls switching from his left to his right leg. Using right leg TJ throws his body to left and backwards away from Hecht’s body. This causes Hecht’s arm to fully extend while TJ jumps into the air. Along with jumping, TJ crosses his feet and flattens out immediately upon hitting the mat. Hecht attempts to defend by rolling but his arm is already far to extended for the roll to work. TJ follows his roll and adjusts his hand position to suit Hechts body location. This is one of the more seamless and creative arm bars in the UFC.

The Triangle

Later on in the fight against Mike Stumpf, TJ sets up a arm bar from a crouched north-south position. TJ has the arm secured before he drops down, but just misses throwing his right leg across Stumpf’s face. Stumpf was able to create a small amount of space, keeping TJ from locking in the arm bar immediately. TJ shoots the right leg across, but Stumpf rolls, getting his head on the outside of TJ’s legs, and his arm a bit out of danger. However, TJ maintains wrist control. TJ holds Stumpf’s wrist and pushes with his left arm against Stumpf’s body. This keeps Stumpf from passing to side control and TJ losing the arm. TJ adjusts on the fly, with the pushing of Stumpf’s body there is enough space for TJ to transition to the triangle choke. The left leg flys back and to the left and across Stumpf’s neck. ImmediatelyTJ cinches the triangle tighter, making sure the submission is on the ankle not the foot. The submission is locked in, and TJ forces down the head of Stumpf finishing the submission. TJ’s ability to make split second decisions and chain submissions is really a thing of beauty. If something fails he has an answer, or is willing to take a risk to pull the submission off.

In TJ’s most recent fight against Nick Catone. he chained together submissions to get the finish in typically awesome fashion. In the first frame, TJ defends the shot from Catone, but instead of sprawling, TJ shoots his left arm around Catone’s neck and his right around Catone’s left arm catching him in the arm-in guillotine. TJ sets up his back up plan from the beginning throwing his left leg over the shoulder of Catone. When TJ realizes it’s going to be tough to finish Catone from the choke, he lays back and adjusts his legs inching them higher up on his opponent. TJ’s legs were already roughly in the correct position for the triangle, it was simply the adjustment of his hips and the locking of his leg over his ankle. TJ usually is able to finish it from here, but Catone is really wide, and his arm is still not across his body providing a little bit of space to breathe. TJ actually baits Catone into bringing his left arm up to defend his head by throwing elbows. As soon as Catone defends TJ shoves Catone’s left arm across his neck/body cutting off even more space. In the final frame TJ has done everything correctly. The triangle is locked in, Catone’s arm is across his body, and TJ is pulling down Catone’s head. With a few added elbows TJ seals the dea,l completing a textbook triangle. This is only the second time Catone had been submitted, the other being against very high level black belt Tim Credeur at middleweight.

TJ is still young, and has grown up in front of the eyes of many fight fans. His knack for submissions and his dedication to his overall MMA game has made him a staple for any MMA fan that appreciates a truly dynamic and exciting submission fighter.

Although he came up short vs. National Master of Sport in Sambo Adlan Amagov at UFC 166, expect him to be entertaining the fans for years to come.

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About the author: Casey Hartsfield (UG user name Caseharts) runs http://pugilistics.com. Check out the Facebook, and follow Case on Twitter!