Matt Hamill Training With Renzo Gracie: Hamill has been spotted training with Brazilian...

Hamill has been spotted training with Brazilian jui-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie.

Hamill, who trains regularly with Gracie disciple Bruno Tostes, appears to be working on his ground game in preparation for his upcoming match up against Reese Andy on Dec. 27 at UFC 92.

11 months ago Nick Thomas 9 comments 0 recs |

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Not sure what difference this will make to a guy who doesn’t want to fight on the ground.

by mythbuster on Dec 18, 2008 9:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It’s sad too. Hamill is said to have amazing wrestling skills. All I ever see from him is a lethargic, lumbering, and sloppy stand-up. With that obvious gift of natural strength, wrestling prowess, and now BJJ….he should be a demon on the mat.

by Gogoplatapus on Dec 18, 2008 10:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I hate to judge his ground skills on the the 15 seconds the Franklin/Hamill fight was on the mat but as soon as he scored that takedown on Franklin, Franklin transitioned immediately to an arm bar and had it in pretty nice like.

I’m not for a second saying Andy will submit him from his back, I’m just saying that the reason he stays standing is most likely because his submission defense is not where it should be.

by SamCupitt on Dec 18, 2008 10:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

but he didn’t go to ground with Bisping either, where he probably would have easily won. I don’t remember the Boetch fight so maybe he did there.

by mythbuster on Dec 18, 2008 11:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bisping would have subbed him.

Remember that the reason he and Bisping didn’t get along was because Bisping hurt his cocky ass with an armbar.

by zeroword on Dec 18, 2008 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

eh

that was training, and Hamill chose not to tap but instead to twist his arm, which messed him up.

by mythbuster on Dec 18, 2008 11:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hamill said his knee was injured during the Bisping fight and he couldn’t stay down. Against Boetsch he took him down and won with GnP.

by Kid Nate on Dec 18, 2008 1:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, after he was getting messed up standing. What people forget about good wrestlers is that they have the power to fight where they want to fight, where they have an advantage. Guys with great wrestling backgrounds are, at least to begin with, very uncomfortable on there back. They have transition skills and that is a key building block, but it can only get you so far. The road to easy wins is to learn sub defence and GnP. Thats how Kos had early transition sucess. Hamill needs to expand and it looks like he is doing that, just like Kos.

by szucconi on Dec 18, 2008 2:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs