Learn How To Counter The Rolling Omoplata Escape

The Omoplata is one of the most fundamental submissions taught in BJJ, but also one of the easiest to escape as rolling forwards is simple, very effective and the counter isn’t commonly known. In the above video, a frequent instructor at BJJ Globetrotters camps, Brandon Mullins, demonstrates the counter to this submission escape on Stephan Kesting, the owner and face of GrappleArts. The technique that Mullins shows isn’t chaining the Omoplata attempt to another submission as some grapplers have been seen doing in competition but instead, he’s actually using the escape attempt to readjust and reattempt the Omoplata, but with a more secure grip around the far-side arm which actually makes the submission more effective than it was initially.

The Omoplata is an unusual submission in the sense that it is seen as fundamental and is something that every blue belt on the planet knows how to set up and finish, while simultaneously being one of the least commonly seen submissions in professional grappling. If you decided to look at MMA instead, it’s even rarer again as only two fights in UFC history have been finished via this submission. The first Omoplata in UFC history wasn’t even until 2014, coming from Eddie Bravo black belt, Ben Saunders against Chris Heatherly. It’s partially because of the ease of the rolling Omoplata escape and the lack of knowledge around the efficient counter to the escape, that this submission remains relatively rare in the highest levels of competition.

The video comes courtesy of Stephan Kesting’s YouTube channel, click here to follow him for more content.