I'm just wondering why this submission isn't used as much as it should be. Its one of the easiest submission to pull off and has a high percentage of working. It's been very successful for me in bjj and im sure for alot of other people too. i can't remember the last fight i saw someone use this submission besides hunt vs fedor and if it wasn't Fedor im sure most fighters would've tapped. Come on lets see an americana SOON. If people are getting subbed with gogo's im sure someone can pull off an americana.
I'd actually have to agree that it's underused. When in mount and the guy's going for wrist control, it's there for the taking. Even if you don't get the hold, it'll at least make the opponent think twice.
In recent years we've seen the submission in MMA actually regress a bit. It reminds me of the way striking had become back in the early days. People would always say "you can't kick above the waist, that won't work!" and now we're seeing that with all but 5-6 submission holds.
We need the submission fighter equivalent of Maurice Smith to wake everyone up.
you can even pull it off pretty easy from side control.
I have always thought that it is underused as well. However, Josh Barnett submitted Alexander Emelienenko with it last year. And Ron Waterman goes for it alot and has alot of submissions with it.
But the problem is that when I see most people go for it they don't even know how to do it right. I see them try to go for it in the mount and get rolled or I see them not even trying to paintbrush it. Just tying to bring the elbow up. Which that would work against someone not very good at submission defense or someone not flexible but against a skilled fighter its useless. If people actually went for it correctly you would see alot more keylock submissions.
Same with neckcranks though. People hardly ever use them anymore, there are some viscious neck cranks out there where if you do it properly you can tap someone easily and the best thing is you don't have to wait for them to make a mistake and capatilize. You can make it happen. The cobra crank is probably my favorite. Tito actually tapped Yuki Kondo with it at UFC Japan.
"Its one of the easiest submission to pull off and has a high percentage of working."
Yeah against goofballs. How many Americana's have you seen at ADCC or Black Belt Mundials? Now contrast that with the basic armbar, no more or less basic of a move.
With the level of strong, explosive flexible athlete you have today, the keylock is tough unless youre a huge saucehead just powering it on people full speed trying to injure them.
"hunt vs fedor and if it wasn't Fedor im sure most fighters would've tapped."
Youre completely mistaken. In fact Id wager that unless the person had a pre-existing shoulder or elbow injury coming into the match, almost no legit pro would have tapped to simply having their elbow raised.
That fight reminded me of way back in the original GP when Coleman cranked the shit out of Vov's arm with the exact same application of the move. It looked like he was just refusing to tap but there was very little torque on the shoulder.because you gotta suck that elbow into the hip.
If you can, do it before you crank. Other guys prefer to start cranking and then slide it down to the hip. Either way it takes very little pressure then to force a tap or an injury.
This is my bread-and-butter submission when I grapple. I use the twisting-version called "the top wristlock" in catch wrestling. Very effective, but as HELWIG noted, the focus needs to be on getting their elbow down to their hip/waist, not on pulling up on the elbow. If you get the elbow to their waist, they will tap, no problem. It's a horrible feeling, it feels like your wrist, elbow and shoulder are all going to be torn apart. Truly a viscious "hook".
If you don't have proper weight distribution, all your opponent has to do is roll towards the trapped arm.
Good sub, and like all subs, lots of subtle variables go into making it work.
Interesting... I was also wondering this the other day.
It was the very first thing I learned my first day at Jiu-Jitsu.