The single-leg takedown captures one of the opponent's legs and uses it as a lever to break their base. It is one of the most versatile entries in mixed martial arts because it offers more finishing options than the double-leg and gives the attacker an exit route back to standing if the finish stalls.
How it works (mechanics)
The entry begins with a level change and a penetration step, similar to the double-leg, but the attacker targets only one leg. The lead hand cups behind the knee, the trail hand locks the ankle or the heel, and the captured leg is lifted to chest or shoulder height. The head position is critical. The attacker's head should be glued to the inside of the opponent's hip, not pressed against the chest. Head-inside position protects against the guillotine choke and gives a strong angle for the finish.
From there several finishes branch off. Running the pipe rotates the opponent around the captured leg by driving forward and turning the corner while the hands pull the knee in tight. The trip finish hooks the opponent's free leg from the inside and walks them down. The lift finish, common in judo and freestyle wrestling, drives the hips under the captured leg, picks the opponent into the air, and dumps them. Against the cage a fighter can also run the single-leg up the fence, climb the hips, and finish with a body lock or by stepping behind to take the back.
When to use it (tactical context)
The single-leg works well against opponents who stand bladed with a long lead leg, because that lead leg is closer and easier to capture. It is also a strong response to opponents who throw heavy lead-leg kicks, since a caught kick can flow directly into a single-leg finish. Reactive single-legs off the opponent's jab are common because the attacker can slip the punch and shoot to the lead leg in one motion.
The single-leg is also a chain-wrestler's tool. If a double-leg gets stuffed and the attacker drops to a knee, switching to a single on the near leg is often the next link.
Common errors
- Letting the head slip to the outside of the hip without a plan, which exposes the neck to a guillotine.
- Holding the captured leg too low, which lets the opponent base out on the free leg and stay upright.
- Standing straight up with the leg, which collapses the attacker's posture and invites a kimura or a whizzer.
- Failing to cut an angle on the finish, so the opponent simply hops backward on one leg until they reach the cage and frame out.
Variations and counters
Variations include the high-crotch, which captures the leg high under the hip; the ankle pick, which targets the foot rather than the thigh; and the running single, where the attacker drives laterally to break the base. Counters include the whizzer, in which the defender overhooks the attacker's near arm and cranks down on the shoulder; the limp leg, where the defender relaxes and slides the captured leg out; and the kimura grip from the top, which can reverse the position or sweep the attacker.
Who's known for it
Demetrious Johnson used quick, reactive single-legs to chain wrestling and submissions together at flyweight. Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, brought a textbook single-leg game to MMA. Kamaru Usman built much of his welterweight title reign on cage-pinned single-legs that drained opponents over five rounds.