Hassan Yazdani - Knee Pick Study 

DPS Breakdowns Hey DPS, can you do a video of Jordan Burroughs some time soon

That's quite a claim considering all the beast the have there in Iran. To be considered best from Iran is pretty much same as to be a world champion.

Let me know how it goes!

Same here!

Thank you!

Thank you!

You're welcome. Random question: Did you help coach at a few Beat the Streets practices in Cleveland?

@@DPSBreakdowns ahahah I did!

I did! Martinez's underhook game is very similar to Yazdani's. Plays it on the left side, too.

Also makes it harder for the opponent to circle away from the pressure.

That's right - if Yazdani does the knee pick he will generally go for it immediately after getting his underhook (before the opponent is able to get an advantageous tie of his own). One counter is to get a strong overhook to prevent the elbow elevation and angle creation. Finishing the technique with a head-on (rather than more perpendicular) angle is much more difficult. There are also some throw counters (whizzer kick/uchi mata), but Yazdani is pretty savvy at preventing those. Here is James Green going for one against him: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-G6Qn-4vOuHo.html

DPS Breakdowns Great match! Clean throw-by there by Yazdani. Speaking of whizzer-kicks/uchi mata... m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2hI4h3J7vf8.html 😳

I'm not aware of any underhook specialists at the international level who primarily use same side head position. Younes Emami sometimes does use same side head position but uses opposite side more often from what I've seen. If you're able to punch a deep underhook/seatbelt then same side head position becomes a necessity but that is not an easy position to get to reliably against high level guys. You are correct about the elbow issue - it is much easier for an opponent to bite down on an underhook when the head is on the same side versus when it is on the opposite side.

@@DPSBreakdowns Wow, thank you so much for your thoughts. I can't thank you enough -- you're very observant so I really value your response. By the way, I also asked around on forums, one thing I've noticed is a lot of responders who say they like head on same side also say they are stocky or strong in the upper body. My guess is that for them, jacking up the elbow might be easier for their body build. The other thing is that people seem to view head-on-same-side as better defense, and perhaps better for sweep singles, high C's, and duck unders, whereas the head-on-opposite-side is riskier, but better for throws, "higher" leg attacks (snatch single, knee tap, etc), and getting to double-unders. Although clearly there is overlap between head-on-same-side and head-on-opposite-side, plus everyone's got a different game, so I shouldn't over-generalize. Also, I was watching footage of Takuto Otoguro the other day. He's got an reactive / opportunistic underhook game, it's not his core offense but he's pulled off some surprisingly effective counters against some guys who are really good in the tie-ups / clinch. In my observation, I *think* he usually puts his head on the opposite side, sometimes looking for double-unders where he's got some strong judo-like moves. But I noticed in a couple of matches, where he was already winning by a bazillion points, he put his head on the same side and used it to stall and eat up seconds on the clock (referees saw this and broke it up).

@@jsl8461 Nice - appreciate your thoughts. People in the US have a same-side head position bias because that is how it is taught in 99% of cases from what I've seen. I think opposite side head position, when done properly, makes the underhook position easier to maintain and harder to escape for the other person. But yeah, same side head position may work for some people so I wouldn't ever call it wrong, just different.

Well the pressure makes him back up and the under hook high elbow keeps him up straight. The only really defence is the uchi mata or get out of yaz under hook before his starts his pressure. Yaz is daring you to go to the uchi mata tho... He knows it's hard throw to execute.

That’s actually a great question

Likely figured out by now, but you do that for balance and to take away getting thrown.

Thank you - and appreciate the feedback.

Yazdani went for it about 15 seconds into their match at the 2018 Worlds ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-h9L383GDQHA.html. DT somehow cartwheeled out of it and nearly reversed the position (but went out of bounds). Fun scramble.

@ L. Ron Gardner It will happen to taylor in Tokyo. Count on it!

If the timing is perfect, I could see that working. This clip shows it being hit simultaneously with the opponent's knee tap attempt: gfycat.com/weepycheeryhorsemouse

Not exactly sure, but there will be more.

Strong head positioning (usually on opponent's shoulder opposite the underhooked side), and awareness of the opponent's options (firemans carry, whizzer kick, double overhook throw, etc.). Once you have trained hundreds of hours in the underhook position (like Yazdani), you'll have seen nearly every reaction and counter possible.

The other guy needs the undertook to hiptoss

He could be. The opponent doesn't finish the takedown, but this gives you an idea of a possible throw counter: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-G6Qn-4vOuHo.html

Very similar to how it is used in wrestling. Typically from the clinch. Georges St-Pierre had a lot of success with it during his career.