Scissor Takedown

According to MMA Surge, you can use the underhook as an opportunity to initiate the takedown by securing an overhook and grabbing the inner thigh, then stepping between their legs and sweeping them down while maintaining the overhook.

Make sure your legs cross completely during the sweep, as this ensures you get the takedown; when you hit the mat, keep the overhook if you still have it and advance to a better position.

Turn to the side and get both of your feet to line up with your opponent's feet, place your hand to the mat, bring your leg up, and sweep like a scissor motion.

The Scissor Takedown family covers techniques where the attacker uses a scissors-like leg action — one leg attacking high and the other attacking low simultaneously — to take the opponent to the ground. The scissoring motion creates opposing forces on the opponent's body: one leg sweeps or blocks above the knee while the other sweeps or blocks below, creating an irresistible rotational force.

Scissor takedowns have been part of judo and various wrestling traditions, with kani basami being classified as a judo technique in the Kodokan system. The IJF banned kani basami from judo competition in 1980 after multiple knee injuries, though the technique remains legal in some sambo and submission grappling rulesets.

IJF: запрещён — Scissor takedowns prohibited; IBJJF: запрещён — Scissor takedown prohibited at all belt levels; UWW: запрещён — Scissor holds on body prohibited in both freestyle and Greco-Roman; Unified MMA: разрешён — Legal takedown technique; ADCC: запрещён — Scissor takedowns banned in all divisions except adult advanced; FIAS Sport Sambo: разрешён — Legal — all takedowns permitted; FIAS Combat Sambo: разрешён — Legal; NCAA Folkstyle: разрешён — Legal, scored as takedown (2 points)

Оценка опасности 10/10. Extreme — kani basami broke Yasuhiro Yamashita's fibula at the 1980 All Japan Championships, ending his competition career and leading to a worldwide ban. The scissoring action can fracture the tibia/fibula, tear ACL/MCL/PCL, and dislocate the knee. Unlike submissions where the defender can tap, injury occurs instantaneously during the takedown — there is no opportunity to submit. Multiple broken legs documented in judo and sambo competition.

Стандартная цепочка подготовки: Establish Contact → Create Off-Balance → Execute the Takedown → Follow to Ground.

Стандартные контрприёмы: Sprawl — drop hips back and drive weight down to stuff the takedown attempt / Underhook — establish inside position to control distance and prevent the takedown entry / Post and Circle — post on the attacker's head and circle away to break their angle / Level Change Defence — recognize the shot early and react with appropriate hip defence.

Распространённые варианты: Standard trip (blocking or sweeping the support leg while driving the up…); Combination trip (chaining an inside trip with an outside trip when the opp…); Counter trip (using the trip as a counter when the opponent attacks); Clinch trip (executing the trip from a tight clinch position).

Kani basami was banned from IJF judo competition after multiple serious knee injuries. It is still permitted in some sambo rule sets.

Основные ошибки, на которые стоит обратить внимание: Half-committing to the scissor, which leaves you on the ground with the opponent standing / Both legs going in the same direction instead of opposing directions / Not controlling the upper body during the entry, so the opponent can jump over your legs / Attempting scissors against a wide-stanced opponent who is difficult to topple.

Scissor Takedown также известен как Kani-basami, Scissor Sweep, Leg Scissors, Flying Scissors.