UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili
Date: March 11, 2023

Fight card looked good but was mainly looking for Yan to beat up Dvalishvili - unfortunately that didn't happen.

But when watching fights it should be less about entertainment and more about studying and taking notes.

Here are the full, updated notes from UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili fight card.

On Defending Takedowns

For defending constant takedowns while striking, you need to throw more uppercuts with some knees peppered in. Most of the time you'll land uppercut and if you miss, at least you'll get an underhook to fight the takedown.

But remember, throwing too many uppercuts without varying up the delivery will open you up to hook and kick counters.

Also, throwing uppercuts and knees against wrestlers helps to counter with offensive striking but you will still need to utilize hard sprawling.

Underhooks

When in a clinch you need to always work your underhooks for better position. If someone has two hands under yours, you are getting taken down.

Neutral position is where you get one hand under, one hand over. At least get to this 50/50 position.

Ideally, you want double under where both hands are under his and locked behind his back. This is most dominant position standing and you can easily take him down at will.

So either get to 50/50, double unders or separate entirely.

About Spinning Attacks

Always setup your spinning attacks with a strike. Jab, jab-cross, whatever. Throw something before. In the video you can see Grant throws a jab before landing the spinning back fist.

Also another note: stop fucking reacting to your opponent. No nods. No finger pointing. No thumbs up. It's a fucking fight. No respect given until end of the fight.

Another example. Study how Nurmagomedov sets up his spinning attacks. Always something in front or as a counter. Never one and done.

Look for Submissions During Transitions

High level submissions are secured during transitions. During a scramble. Grant already had the reverse triangle secured before they hit the ground.

Another submission during transition. Remember: look to get a submission during the scramble. Most people will not see it coming

One more example of submission during the scramble and transition. He kind of fell into that one but it still applies. You have o be aware enough to secure it.

Important: there is a submission rule  you may have heard – "position before submission". This means you shouldn't secure a submission before getting positional control.

Example of "position before submission" would be, get the back, secure the hooks then start working for the rear naked choke. This rule still applies in high-level submission game. You have to elevate your game to a point where you are looking 2-3 moves ahead. This is why you see elite grapplers setting up submissions during transition so when they get to a position, they already have a submission secured to start squeezing.

Don't Throw One

Generally, you don't want to throw one punch and especially don't throw one leg kick. Otherwise you're getting tagged, countered and eventually KOed.

Setup your kicks w/punches and punches w/kicks. Throw combinations. It doesn't mean that you can never throw one punch. But it does mean you should throw more combinations and never rely on one punch. Otherwise you are very easily countered and eventually take it out.

On Explosive Strength and Speed

For fighting you need to train explosive strength, speed and ability to maintain these for the duration of the fight.

Being able to reverse a body triangle is not easy. You need to explode with each movement and continue doing it until you are back in guard. All the while your guts are being squeezed out and you can't breathe.

Train explosive strength and speed with dynamic, compound lifting.

On Defending Your Back

When someone has your back, always fight the hands first - two hands on one. Don't let them clasp the hands.

Smooth Work from Striking to Submission

You have to be able to flow between punching, kicking, clinch to wrestling and submission in one fluid motion. This is difficult to do. Most fighters isolate each range to train. They work on striking, then they work on wrestling, then they grapple. Instead you need to train them all at the same time. All ranges together.

Here Nurmagomedov shows how he is able to go from punching to kicking to clinch to takedown to submission. This is what you want. Being able to bridge the gap between transitioning from striking to grappling to submission seamlessly.

During the Clinch

In clinch if you push the chin up and away, it takes away their leverage. If you control the head - you control the body.

On Fight Cardio

The biggest downside of kicking, spinning and chaining punching to kicking to clinching to grappling is makes you tired. Nurmagomedov is exhausted here and it is only round 2. Train your cardio more.

Takedown Defense Fundamentals

Perfect step-by-step takedown defense.

Takedown defense fundamentals when he has control of your leg:

• Control ankle
• Heavy hips and kick the leg out
• Cross face
• Push the head down
• Hand in
• Go for submission to make him worry, remember - position before submission
• If can't get submission punish w/elbows and knees

Short Up Kick

Use this short little up kick when you have secured standing back control. Love this move. Under utilized.

On Sticking Your Hand Out

Reason you put your jab hand out like that is to:

• Gauge distance
• Annoy and make him react
• Setup your next strikes

On Main Event

Dvalishvili style is being relentless. Constant movement.

He doesn't care if it lands w/power, doesn't commit to any takedowns. Constant jab to single leg. High pace, technique varied and Yan didn't know what was coming. Constant movement makes it difficult to hit and time. Not my style but is effective for Dvalishvili.

Yan should have thrown more uppercuts and knees at the end his combinations. Because you know Dvalishvili is shooting in after Yan is done throwing his combo. Could have caught him or at least make him worry a bit more.