MMA Cage Wall Training - Dominating Strikes from the Clinch with Rene Dreifuss
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Underhook Cage Clinch·Stuart Tomlinson
| MMA Cage Wall Training - Dominating Strikes from the Clinch | The cage wall is not only an iconic part of MMA fights …
Underhook Cage Clinch
SubFamilyアンダーフックケージクリンチ(Andāfukku Kēji Kurinchi)
TransliterationTranslation: underhook cage clinch
Overview
The Underhook Cage Clinch subfamily covers cage clinch positions where the attacker controls the opponent against the fence using one or both underhooks as the primary clinch tie. [1] The combination of underhook inside position and cage contact creates one of the strongest control configurations in MMA — the underhooks provide body access for takedowns while the cage prevents the opponent from creating space or circling away. [1],[2] The underhook cage clinch is the most common offensive cage clinch position and the primary platform for cage wrestling takedown attempts. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The underhook cage clinch became the dominant cage wrestling position as wrestlers entered MMA and adapted their underhook-based offence to the fence environment. [1] Fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, and Colby Covington have demonstrated the position's effectiveness at the highest levels of MMA competition. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The underhook cage clinch uses one or both underhooks to pin the opponent against the cage, providing a stable platform for takedowns, dirty boxing, and positional control. [1] Couture describes this as the most commonly used cage clinch position in MMA because it combines wrestling fundamentals with cage-specific tactics. [1]
Lineage
The underhook cage clinch uses single or double underhooks with the opponent against the cage. [1]
Competition Record
Khabib Nurmagomedov's dominant UFC lightweight championship reign (2018–2020) was built significantly on underhook cage clinch work. [1] His ability to pin opponents against the cage with underhooks and grind them down before executing takedowns was statistically his most frequently used positional strategy. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Establishing body-to-body connection through underhooks, overhooks, or collar ties to control the opponent's movement
Joints Involved — Attacker's shoulders (driving position), hips (base and drive), opponent's upper body (restricted)
Force Vector — Forward pressure and angular positioning — inside position (underhooks) creates offensive advantage
Control Mechanic — Chest-to-chest pressure combined with inside ties limits the opponent's ability to create distance or attack
Position & Entry
From clinch range — Swim the arm under the opponent's arm to secure the underhook, drive the shoulder into their chest for inside position
From hand fighting — During grip exchanges, drop the arm and swim inside to win the underhook battle
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
4
Moderate4/10
Cage clinch work involves grinding pressure; rib/facial abrasion risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
WBC/Boxing — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding results in point deduction {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
K-1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— WAKO — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no...
WAKO Competition RulesPDFLegal
— Unified MMA — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— grip fighting
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— IBJJF — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work pe...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IFMA — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai,...
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDF— UWW — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the pri...
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDFTraining Notes
✓The underhook cage clinch pins the opponent against the cage while controlling with one or both underhooks — the most effective cage clinch variation for takedowns
✓A single underhook against the cage is enough to launch takedowns: drive for a single-leg, trip, or body lock takedown
✓Double underhooks against the cage is the most dominant position in MMA clinch fighting — the opponent has almost no defensive options
✓Press the underhook deep (past the armpit, hand on the back) and drive forward into the cage
✓Use the cage to block the opponent's retreat while you work for the takedown — they can't sprawl against a wall
✓Combine underhook cage clinch with dirty boxing: land short uppercuts and elbows while maintaining the underhook
✓Chain takedown attempts against the cage: single leg, blocked, switch to double, blocked, body lock trip — keep attacking
Common Mistakes
!Getting the underhook against the cage but not driving forward — forward pressure is what makes the cage clinch work
!Standing flat against the cage with the opponent — angle off to the underhook side for better leverage
!Not using the free hand — post, strike, or control with the non-underhook hand
!Holding the underhook cage clinch without taking down — attack within 10-15 seconds or the referee may separate
!Keeping the head on the wrong side — head on the underhook side for safety and control
!Letting the opponent wall walk up and create space — maintain tight contact and downward pressure
!Not switching between single leg and body lock attempts — variety prevents the opponent from settling on one defence
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Close Distance — bridge the gap using footwork, strikes, or a level change
2Swim Inside — thread the arm under the opponent's armpit to establish the underhook
3Hip Position — step the same-side hip into the opponent to block their movement
4Head Position — place forehead against the opponent's temple for head control
Sources & References
Primary Source
Mastering Jujitsu (Renzo Gracie & John Danaher, 2003)
1BookFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)
Alias sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] Wrestling for Fighting (Velasquez, 2012)
2BookGreco-Roman Wrestling (Petrov, 1985)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)
Alias sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] Wrestling for Fighting (Velasquez, 2012)
5CitationGreco-Roman Wrestling (Petrov, 1985)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011)
Community
Athletics
Requires
swimming speed for inside position, shoulder drive, hip pressure
Favours
strong shoulders and low centre of gravity
Key muscles
deltoids, pectorals, core, quadriceps
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is balance important when striking from the underhook cage clinch?
According to Stuart Tomlinson, one of the most important principles from judo is maintaining balance and breaking your opponent's balance; if you hit someone who is off balance, you're much more likely to be effective with your strikes.
Does height difference affect how you execute the underhook cage clinch?
Stuart Tomlinson notes that sometimes you cannot execute certain techniques the same way if your opponent is much shorter than you, requiring adjustments to your approach.
How does the Underhook Cage Clinch work?
The Underhook Cage Clinch subfamily covers cage clinch positions where the attacker controls the opponent against the fence using one or both underhooks as the primary clinch tie. The combination of underhook inside position and cage contact creates one of the strongest control configurations in MMA — the underhooks provide body access for takedowns while the cage prevents the opponent from creating space or circling away.
Where does the Underhook Cage Clinch come from?
The underhook cage clinch became the dominant cage wrestling position as wrestlers entered MMA and adapted their underhook-based offence to the fence environment. Fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, and Colby Covington have demonstrated the position's effectiveness at the highest levels of MMA competition.
Is the Underhook Cage Clinch legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA; IJF: legal — Legal — kumi-kata (grip fighting) is fundamental to judo; IBJJF: legal — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work permitted; IFMA: legal — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai, clinch dominance is highly…; WBC/Boxing: restricted — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding resu…; K: restricted — 1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks; WAKO: restricted — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no clinch fighting in most fo…; UWW: legal — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the primary position in Greco-Roman
How dangerous is the Underhook Cage Clinch?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — cage clinch work involves grinding pressure; rib/facial abrasion risk
How do I set up the Underhook Cage Clinch?
The standard setup chain: Close Distance → Swim Inside → Hip Position → Head Position.
How do I defend against the Underhook Cage Clinch?
Standard counters include: Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's grips / Frame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neck / Overhook (Whizzer) — trap the underhook arm with an overhook to neutralize it / Arm Drag — pull the underhooking arm past to take the back.
What are the variants of the Underhook Cage Clinch?
Common variants: Single underhook (one arm inside for angle and control); Double underhooks (both arms inside for maximum inside position); Underhook with collar tie (combining the underhook with head control).
How effective is the Underhook Cage Clinch in competition?
Khabib Nurmagomedov's dominant UFC lightweight championship reign (2018–2020) was built significantly on underhook cage clinch work. His ability to pin opponents against the cage with underhooks and grind them down before executing takedowns was statistically his most frequently used positional strategy.
What are common mistakes when doing the Underhook Cage Clinch?
Top errors to watch for: Getting the underhook against the cage but not driving forward — forward pressure is what makes the cage clinch work / Standing flat against the cage with the opponent — angle off to the underhook side for better leverage / Not using the free hand — post, strike, or control with the non-underhook hand / Holding the underhook cage clinch without taking down — attack within 10-15 seconds or the referee may separate.
What are other names for the Underhook Cage Clinch?
The Underhook Cage Clinch is also known as Andāfukku Kēji Kurinchi, Underhook Fence Clinch, Cage Underhook, Fence Under Tie.