TXMMA Technique of the Week: Allen Mohler – Escaping The Body Triangle

By Felix Rodriguez, Staff Writer | Photos by Mike Calimbas

In this edition of TXMMA’s Technique of the Week we feature Team Alliance Black Belt, Allen Mohler

COPPELL, TX, July 17, 2013 – Professor Allen Mohler is a third degree black belt under Romero “Jacare” Cavalcante and the head instructor at Mohler MMA in Coppell, TX. Mohler was promoted to black belt in 2001 and is the first American to receive this distinction from Team Alliance. Mohler, the 2008 NAGA coach of the year, has been a mainstay in the Texas fight scene with over 27 years of combined martial arts training. His students routinely place in jiu-jitsu tournaments throughout the state and his stable of MMA fighters have found success from the amateur ranks all the way to the UFC.

In this TXMMA Technique of the Week, Allen Mohler shows our readers an escape from the figure-four body lock that is meant for cage-fought MMA. The figure-four body lock is an extremely effective way to control your opponent from behind and severely restrict their range of motion. When done properly, the figure four or body triangle can also finish a fight; this back-control is also known as “The Salaverry” because Tony Fryklund submitted from the pressure Ivan Salaverry put on his back from this position at UFC 50. Coach Mohler’s video shows how to avoid being controlled in a body triangle and how to use the cage to avoid being flattened out and submitted while in the Salaverry position.

Tristan Grimsley will assist Coach Mohler in the video.

TXMMA Technique of the Week – Allen Mohler

Technique Description: To begin make sure your neck is protected or you will submit to a choke before being able to get out of the bad position. Once your neck is free of threat roll away from your opponent’s knees and towards their feet in order to roll onto your stomach. Your opponent will likely have you in a seat belt (over-under) control while in the body triangle; to avoid getting choked when rolling the key is to neutralize both their arms with one of yours. Do this by using your elbow to pin their bottom control arm and use your hand to stop choking attempts by keeping them in check with wrist control. Begin the reversal by rolling onto your stomach – make sure your chin is tucked-in throughout – and walk towards the cage. Pin your opponent against the cage and avoid taking damage with the same two-on-one method explained before. Use your free hand to push down on your opponent’s knee and put pressure on his joint. The two-on-one control in combination with the pressure on the knee will force them to release the body triangle, when this happens, use your shoulder to press against the cage and spin around to escape.

As always practice the techniques shown here with safety and respect for your training partner.

For more information on Allen Mohler and Mohler MMA visit their website at your leisure.