Tainan Dalpra's takedowns are next level 🔥

Alright, let's talk about Tainan Dalpra's takedowns, or more precisely, the *perception* of them. The Flo clip is cool, sure, but "next level"? Nah. That's a classic case of recency bias mixed with the gi making everything look a little more dramatic than it is.

The take I’m pushing back on is this idea that Tainan is a takedown *specialist* in the way we talk about guys like Dante Leon, or even, going way back, a Roger Gracie with his absurd foot sweeps from closed guard. Tainan's takedowns are effective, don't get me wrong, but they're not his primary mode of attack, nor are they particularly varied. What you see, time and again, are well-timed snaps, collar drags, and the occasional duck-under — all designed to get him to his passing or guard. They're setup tools, not standalone weapons that he’s chaining together in a freestyle wrestling clinic.

Consider his performance at the 2023 Worlds. He secured takedowns, absolutely. But they were often against opponents who were already heavily committed to playing guard, or where the initial hand-fighting created an opening that he capitalized on. It's not like he's out there wrestling Levi Jones-Leary or Pedro Marinho to a standstill in a stand-up exchange. The real story of Tainan's game, the actual "next level" part, is his top pressure and passing. He’s a buzzsaw once he’s on top, and his takedowns exist to facilitate getting there.

So, while the clip shows some clean entries, let's not confuse efficient, well-executed setups with a truly dominant takedown game that dictates the pace and position from the get-go. He's not opening his matches by relentlessly pursuing doubles and singles from space. He's opening them by fighting for grips to set up those snap-downs and drag entries. There's a subtle but crucial difference.

What do you all think? Are we giving Tainan too much credit for his entries, or am I just being a grumpy old man about what constitutes "next-level" takedowns in the gi?

The discussion regarding Tainan Dalpra's takedowns, particularly the claim of them being "next level," brings to mind the historical evolution of stand-up proficiency within competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, especially under the auspices of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) ruleset. While HoG Drama Desk raises valid points about recency bias, the broader context of stand-up skill in BJJ has seen significant fluctuations, often influenced by rulesets and the prevailing meta-game.

It is worth remembering that early competitive grappling, particularly the *vale tudo* encounters that preceded formalized sport BJJ, frequently began with standing exchanges, as exemplified by the matches involving figures like George Gracie and Takeo Yano in the 1930s. However, as sport jiu-jitsu codified, particularly with the establishment of the IBJJF in 1994, the emphasis on guard pulling, often to secure advantageous positions without the risk of being taken down, became increasingly prevalent. This shift was, in part, a strategic response to the two-point advantage awarded for a successful takedown, a score that could often be negated or overturned by a well-executed sweep or submission from the guard.

For a period, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was not uncommon to see high-level black belt matches where both competitors would almost immediately pull guard, minimizing stand-up engagements to a mere formality. Competitors like Saulo Ribeiro, by reputation, were known for their willingness to engage on the feet, but even then, the strategic impetus often leaned towards establishing guard. The development of rulesets in other organizations, such as the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Fighting World Championship, which held its first event in 1998, placed a much higher premium on takedowns due to its scoring system and the absence of points for guard pulling, thus fostering a different kind of stand-up development.

The current landscape, where athletes like Tainan Dalpra demonstrate sophisticated stand-up skills within the gi, represents a swing back towards integrating effective takedowns into the overall strategy. This is not entirely unprecedented, but the refinement and systematic integration by many top competitors suggest an evolving meta. It may not be "next level" in the sense of being entirely novel, but it certainly reflects a period where top-tier athletes are increasingly well-rounded, often having backgrounds in wrestling or judo before specializing in jiu-jitsu.

One might ask: is this renewed emphasis on takedowns a cyclical trend in response to defensive guard play, or does it signal a more permanent shift in the strategic priorities within IBJJF competition?

It's interesting to hear the "next level" debate about Dalpra's takedowns, especially from HoG Drama Desk. As someone with a judo background from 2004 before starting BJJ at 35, I see a lot of solid, fundamental judo being executed well. His kosoto gake setup into the single leg is super clean, using that initial kuzushi perfectly. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's effective.

The gi definitely adds a layer of grip fighting that can sometimes make a standard throw look more dynamic in BJJ than it might in a judo dojo. What's often overlooked is how much less mat-time BJJ competitors spend on pure stand-up compared to judoka, which makes these classic techniques stand out more when applied well. My old sensei drilled that particular kosoto entry probably 500 times in my first year.

I hear what Kenji is saying about the judo fundamentals, and that's true in a lot of BJJ academies, but it's not the case at GB. We don't really focus on takedowns in the core curriculum until you hit blue belt, or even purple. In my 4 years, I can tell you that in the GB fundamentals program, week 3 is usually a guard pass like the over-under, followed by a mount escape. Stand-up is mainly taught as a separate class, if your affiliate even offers it, and it's extra. It's usually wrestling, not judo. I guess they assume most people are just pulling guard anyway, but it definitely leaves a gap for a lot of students. It means guys like Tainan had to seek out specific wrestling coaches outside the regular system to get that level of skill.

I think what Dalpra is doing with his grip fighting and entries is really interesting. We spent some time on collar ties and snap downs last week at our gym in Austin, and my coach was emphasizing how important it is to break posture before trying to shoot. Dalpra seems to do that really well, even if it's just a subtle shift.

Kenji's point about solid judo fundamentals resonates. I've only done a few takedown classes, and I'm still mostly pulling guard in live rolls. My go-to right now is a terrible ankle pick that sometimes works on newer white belts. I'd be curious to know what Kenji's favorite takedown is for BJJ without a gi, since he's got that judo background. Getting more comfortable standing is definitely something I want to work on in my third year as a blue belt.

Watching Dalpra's takedowns, especially how explosive some of them are, makes me reflect on how my approach to training has changed since I started BJJ at 47. My warm-up alone takes a good 20 minutes before class, focusing on hip mobility and shoulder stability. I specifically avoid any high-impact throws or takedowns that require a deep squat or jumping entry. My coach, Dave, helped me adjust my entries to a much more upright posture for single legs, for example, after I mentioned some knee discomfort in 2021. It means I have to rely more on timing and grip breaks, but it keeps me on the mats.