Kani Basami

SubFamily

Translation: scissor throw (crab pinch)

Range & classification

Overview

Kani Basami (crab scissors) is a scissor takedown subfamily where the attacker jumps or drops beside the opponent and scissors their legs around the opponent's legs — one leg sweeping forward at the knees and the other sweeping backward at the ankles — to topple the opponent sideways. ^[1] The scissoring action creates a powerful rotational force that is nearly impossible to resist once the legs are in position. ^[1],[2] Despite its effectiveness, kani basami carries significant injury risk because the scissoring force can hyperextend or laterally stress the opponent's knee joint. ^[2] The technique has been banned in judo (IJF) competition since 1980 but remains legal in certain sambo, submission grappling, and some MMA rulesets. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Kani Basami^[1]Crab Scissors^[2]Flying Scissors Takedown^[3]Nozhnitsy^[4]

Used in

Judo Sambo MMA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Shuai Jiao

History & Origin

Kani basami is a classical judo technique that was once commonly used in competition before the IJF banned it following a series of serious knee injuries. ^[1] The technique's dramatic effectiveness ensured its survival in sambo and no-gi grappling competitions where it remains a legal and effective weapon. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

Japan蟹挟(Kani Basami)Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
RussiaSambo
BrazilMMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
USAMMA
China— Japanese name read in ChineseShuai Jiao

Effectiveness

Kani basami (scissors sweep/crab scissors) uses a scissoring leg action where one leg attacks behind the opponent's knees while the other blocks from the front, toppling them. ^[1] The technique is powerful but banned in judo due to the risk of lateral knee ligament injuries. ^[1],[2]

Lineage

Kani basami is a traditional judo technique classified in the Kodokan syllabus but later prohibited in IJF competition. ^[1] The technique has cognates in sambo (nozhnitsï) and was adapted into BJJ competition where it remains legal in some rule sets. ^[2]

Competition Record

Kani basami was banned from IJF judo competition in 1980 after causing multiple serious knee injuries. ^[1] It remains legal in IBJJF competition for brown and black belts and in some sambo rule sets. ^[2]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Penetrating step and level change to attack the opponent's legs — disrupting their base of support

Joints Involved — Attacker's knees and hips (level change), opponent's knee or ankle (controlled point)

Force Vector — Forward and downward — closing distance and driving through the opponent's lower body

Takedown Mechanic — Removing one or both legs from the opponent's base forces them to fall or be driven to the mat

Position & Entry

From clinch range — Establish upper body control (collar tie, underhook, or body lock), obstruct the support leg with a trip or sweep, and drive the opponent to the mat

From grip fighting — Use push-pull action to shift the opponent's weight, then attack the loaded leg with the trip

Videos

Energia Martial Arts

Kani basami

Kani Basami·Energia Martial Arts

Kani basami The scissor takedown! We are sharing part of our DVD 'Leglocks Unlocked'; available at BJJ Fanatics. In th…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Extreme10/10

Broke Yasuhiro Yamashita's fibula at 1980 All Japan Championships. Scissoring action can fracture tibia/fibula, tear ACL/MCL/PCL, and dislocate the knee instantaneously with no opportunity to tap. Banned from judo, IBJJF, and ADCC for causing career-ending injuries. [1,2,3]

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Advanced

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Illegal

— IJF — Scissor takedowns prohibited

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— IBJJF — Scissor takedown prohibited at all belt levels

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— UWW — Scissor holds on body prohibited in both freestyle ...

UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF

— ADCC — Scissor takedowns banned in all divisions except a...

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

Legal

— Unified MMA — Legal takedown technique

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal — all takedowns permitted

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal

FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDF

— 2 points

NCAA Wrestling Rules 2025-26PDF

Training Notes

✓Drop beside the opponent and extend one leg behind their ankles, the other in front of their knees

✓Scissors the legs together with a whipping motion to sweep both legs out

✓Upper body grips on the arm or collar help you control the direction of the fall

✓Be aware this technique is banned in judo competition (IJF) due to knee injury risk — only train in contexts where it's permitted

✓Use kani basami as a surprise attack from unusual angles

✓Practice with control and at reduced speed — the scissoring force can cause serious knee injuries

Common Mistakes

!Dropping straight in front of the opponent instead of to the side — they fall on top of you

!Scissoring at the same level (both legs at the knees) instead of one high and one low

!Not controlling the upper body, so the opponent can step over your legs

!Applying too much lateral force to the knee joint — control the power to protect training partners

!Attempting kani basami in a judo competition where it's an immediate disqualification

!Not committing to the drop, ending up in a seated position with no scissoring power

Related Techniques

Sprawl Defence — the primary defensive technique against this takedown

Counter Techniques

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

Setup Chain

1Establish Contact — use grip, tie, or clinch to control the opponent

2Create Off-Balance — use push-pull action to disrupt the opponent's base

3Execute the Takedown — apply the specific takedown mechanic with commitment

4Follow to Ground — maintain control as the opponent goes down to secure position

Sources & References

Primary Source

Kodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification

1BookKodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification

Traditional Judo throwing/takedown terminology (Kodokan Institute)

2SyllabusKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Official Kodokan ground technique classification system

3SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

5CitationKodokan Judo — Official Nage-waza Classification

Traditional Judo throwing/takedown terminology (Kodokan Institute)

Community

Athletics

Requires

timing, balance, upper body control for push-pull

Favours

good coordination and sense of opponent's weight distribution

Key muscles

core stabilisers, hip adductors/abductors, calves

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Standard Kani Basami

Genus

The Standard Kani Basami executes the fundamental crab scissors where the attacker drops to the mat beside the opponent, extends one leg behind the opponent's ankles and the other in front of the opponent's knees, and scissors the legs together to sweep the opponent sideways to the ground. [1] The attacker typically enters by stepping to one side of the opponent, then dropping and swinging the legs into the scissor position in a single explosive motion. [1,2] The simultaneous opposing forces — one leg pushing forward at knee level and the other pulling backward at ankle level — create a rotational force that topples the opponent laterally. [2] Execution requires commitment and precise leg placement to avoid injury to both the attacker and the opponent. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I catch both of my opponent's legs properly in Kani Basami?

Your rear leg makes a back step on your opponent's secondary leg while your primary leg goes across their thigh, creating a scissor on both a high and low point. Keep yourself high and positioned close to their hip as you execute the technique.

What should I do if I can't reach my opponent's far leg?

Lean in a bit as you fall—doing it in one continuous motion rather than step-by-step will make it much easier to reach. Just be careful not to drop your hip during the movement.

How do I defend against the running man escape from Kani Basami?

Keep control of your opponent's armpit or shoulder to prevent them from pushing their knee to the outside. Since your leg is already on the inside, lean into them and swing your other leg back to maintain the scissor position.

When is the best time to set up Kani Basami from a single leg takedown?

When your opponent shoots for the single leg, keep your body weight close to them and control their head or armpit, then throw your leg back to transition into the Kani Basami. You can also tempt them into taking the single leg by staying in a grip-fighting position with one foot forward.

How does the Kani Basami work?

Where does the Kani Basami come from?

Kani basami is a classical judo technique that was once commonly used in competition before the IJF banned it following a series of serious knee injuries. The technique's dramatic effectiveness ensured its survival in sambo and no-gi grappling competitions where it remains a legal and effective weapon.

Is the Kani Basami legal in competition?

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

How dangerous is the Kani Basami?

Danger rating 10/10. Extreme — broke Yasuhiro Yamashita's fibula at 1980 All Japan Championships. Scissoring action can fracture tibia/fibula, tear ACL/MCL/PCL, and dislocate the knee instantaneously with no opportunity to tap. Banned from judo, IBJJF, and ADCC for causing career-ending injuries.

How do I set up the Kani Basami?

The standard setup chain: Establish Contact → Create Off-Balance → Execute the Takedown → Follow to Ground.

How do I defend against the Kani Basami?

Standard counters include: 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.

What are the variants of the Kani Basami?

Common variants: 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).

How effective is the Kani Basami in competition?

Kani basami was banned from IJF judo competition in 1980 after causing multiple serious knee injuries. It remains legal in IBJJF competition for brown and black belts and in some sambo rule sets.

What are common mistakes when doing the Kani Basami?

Top errors to watch for: Dropping straight in front of the opponent instead of to the side — they fall on top of you / Scissoring at the same level (both legs at the knees) instead of one high and one low / Not controlling the upper body, so the opponent can step over your legs / Applying too much lateral force to the knee joint — control the power to protect training partners.

What are other names for the Kani Basami?

The Kani Basami is also known as Kani Basami, Crab Scissors, Flying Scissors Takedown, Nozhnitsy.

kani basami takedown trip takedown scissor takedown judo sambo mma brazilian jiu-jitsu crab scissors flying scissors takedown nozhnitsy