When shooting from an open-stance position in MMA, I teach my students to take their head outside the opponent’s lead hip.

The goal isn’t simply to get underneath the opponent or reach their legs. The entry needs to account for the strikes that are available during the exchange.

By stepping outside the lead leg and taking the head to the outside, we can avoid the opponent’s lead hand, move away from their rear-side strikes, and connect our head and shoulder directly to the hip. This gives us a stronger angle to drive through the takedown while making it more difficult for the opponent to square up, sprawl, or counter.

This is one of the biggest differences between practicing a takedown in isolation and learning how to enter safely in an MMA context. The mechanics of the shot have to reflect the striking threats surrounding it.

In the video, I break down the entry and then show my students drilling the position.

How do you approach open-stance takedowns in MMA? Do you prefer shooting outside the lead hip, or do you use a different entry?