Technique Breakdown: Tainan Dalpra Is Showing Us The Future Of BJJ Takedowns

The discussion surrounding Tainan Dalpra's effective standing approaches in contemporary IBJJF competition often highlights a perceived novelty, yet it is worth examining the historical currents that inform and, to a degree, prefigure these developments, particularly when considering the evolution of judo techniques within a sport jiu-jitsu context. While the utility of single-leg and double-leg takedowns, often derived from wrestling, is undeniable in current no-gi and MMA applications, the distinct emphasis on certain *ashi-waza* and sacrifice throws, common in earlier periods of judo, offers a fascinating point of comparison to what we observe today.

Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo, codified a comprehensive system of throwing techniques, or *nage-waza*, encompassing hand techniques (*te-waza*), hip techniques (*koshi-waza*), foot and leg techniques (*ashi-waza*), and sacrifice techniques (*sutemi-waza*), which included both rear-fall (*ma-sutemi-waza*) and side-fall (*yoko-sutemi-waza*) categories. By the early 20th century, as judo spread internationally, these techniques formed the core of its standing repertoire. Mitsuyo Maeda, for example, whose tours to Brazil in the 1910s and 1920s significantly influenced the development of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, was himself a Kodokan judoka, having trained directly under Kano. His initial instruction to the Gracies and others would have necessarily included a strong emphasis on these judo throws, albeit adapted over time.

However, the divergence in competitive rulesets between judo and jiu-jitsu, particularly the strong incentive in IBJJF rules to pull guard and the penalties associated with unsuccessful takedown attempts or self-guard pulling, led to a gradual deemphasis of standing techniques within competitive jiu-jitsu. While many jiu-jitsu practitioners maintained a foundation in judo or wrestling, the strategic calculus of sport BJJ often favored beginning from the ground or immediately seeking a guard position. This created a generation of competitors who, while highly skilled in ground work, developed a more limited standing game compared to their judo counterparts.

What Dalpra and others are demonstrating is not necessarily a complete reinvention, but rather a re-integration and adaptation of effective standing strategies, many of which have historical precedents in judo, into the specific demands of modern jiu-jitsu competition. The "future" may indeed involve a more holistic approach that blends the comprehensive standing techniques of judo with the intricate ground skills developed within jiu-jitsu, echoing, in some ways, the broader technical repertoire that characterized grappling arts in the early 20th century before the specialization brought on by distinct sport rulesets.

Given this historical context, to what extent do we see modern high-level BJJ competitors truly innovating in the standing phase versus selectively rediscovering and refining techniques that were already well-established within the broader grappling continuum?

Alright, HoG, let's talk about Tainan Dalpra and this "future of BJJ takedowns" conversation. I watched the Flo video. Good stuff, Tainan’s a beast, no argument there. But to call what he’s doing the *future*? That feels like we’re giving a pretty short shrift to the present, and frankly, the immediate past.

HoG Historian, you’re on the right track referencing judo, but the specific "novelty" being discussed here isn't just judo techniques generally. It's the *application* of a very specific set of high-percentage, low-risk judo and wrestling entries that are designed to avoid the guard pull altogether and, more importantly, avoid lengthy, tiring standing exchanges. This isn't groundbreaking, folks. We've been watching this evolve for years, and Tainan is a master of it, not necessarily an innovator of the core concept.

Look at how guys like Edwin Najmi were operating in the mid-2010s, or even earlier with Clark Gracie. These guys weren't trying to hit flying armbars from the feet every time. They were using simple, strong wrestling pressure, head position, snap downs, and the occasional ankle pick or fireman’s carry variation to set up their game on the ground. Tainan’s game is incredibly efficient – he picks a lane, gets the two points, and gets to work from top. It's about minimizing exposure and maximizing point acquisition in a ruleset that heavily rewards the takedown.

So, while Tainan Dalpra is certainly showing us a *highly effective and polished current iteration* of takedowns in sport BJJ, the "future" implies a fundamental shift. What Tainan does is a continuation and refinement of an existing strategy: use efficient, energy-conserving standing techniques to secure the takedown, rather than engaging in deep, drawn-out judo grip fighting or high-amplitude throws. It’s what you do when you know you can win on the ground, and you just need to get there. It's fantastic to watch, but it's more evolution than revolution.

What's actually new about Tainan's approach that we haven't seen from other top competitors in the last decade? Or is it just the pure technical excellence that makes it *feel* like the future?

I think the "future of BJJ takedowns" is less about what Tainan Dalpra is doing in the gi and more about how much takedown emphasis we're seeing in no-gi. Guys like Gordon Ryan aren't just pulling guard anymore; they're actively looking for finishes from standing.

The whole setup with grips and lapels from an IBJJF context is a completely different game than wrestling for a finish or a dominant position like the saddle in a ruleset like EBI. Tainan's entries are clean for gi, but they don't always translate when you take away the fabric. You just can't hit the same kind of drags or pulls. The future is definitely more wrestling, not less.