Video: Gordon Ryan Teaches Side Triangle (Yoko Sankaku) Submission Dilemma

Top pound-for-pound no-gi grappler Gordon Ryan may be on an indefinite leave of absence from competition, but his instructional content isn’t going anywhere. So if you’re feeling stressed out by the recent news that the Danaher Death Squad was disbanding, cheer yourself up with a classic submission dilemma — a trademark of John Danaher’s teachings — taught by Ryan. In the video below, Ryan demonstrates a submission dilemma from the yoko sankaku (side traingle) position.

“This is the position where your partner is pinned in bottom position, and she’s forced to give you one or the other. This is why the dilemma is so great,” says Ryan.

Essentially, from the side triangle position, the attacking grappler will always have access to one of two submissions: the kimura on the near arm or a side triangle choke. If the defending grappler locks his hands to defend the kimura, the choke is available. If he hides his arm to defend the choke, the kimura is available. Again, this is a hallmark of Danaher teachings, and certainly a large part of his students’ high submission rates.

Earlier this year, Gordon Ryan announced that he was taking an indefinite leave of absence from competition to address ongoing health concerns. This week, news broke that the Danaher Death Squad was ending as a single unit; the next day, Ryan announced his plan to move to Austin, TX to open a jiu-jitsu academy.