5 Weapons That Make Mayssa Bastos One Of The Best Submission Grapplers In History
At ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Prime Video, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu superstar Mayssa Bastos will challenge American sensation Danielle Kelly for the ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Title.
That highly anticipated clash is set to go down on August 2 in U.S. primetime from Bangkok’s iconic Lumpinee Stadium.
Widely recognized as the greatest women’s BJJ competitor of all time in the sport’s lightest weight classes, the nine-time IBJJF World Champion is a true technical wizard and represents Kelly’s toughest test yet in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
Before she takes her shot at ONE gold, we break down the techniques that make Bastos one of the planet’s most dangerous submission hunters.
#1 The Unstoppable Berimbolo
The centerpiece of Bastos’ game is unquestionably her berimbolo – a complicated technique in which she inverts upside down under her opponent’s legs and hips to achieve a back-take.
Simply put, the 26-year-old possesses the best berimbolo in all of BJJ, male or female, and at any weight class.
While she tends to hit the technique from her elite open guard, Bastos has proven plenty capable of jumping into it from the top position, making her a threat to take the back from practically anywhere.
#2 The Crab Ride
Many of Bastos’ opponents will attempt to defend the berimbolo by moving away and forcing their hips to the mat, eliminating the leverage needed to take the back.
In response, Bastos is an expert in a position known as the crab ride, where her two feet are hooked behind her foe’s knees.
From the crab ride, she will employ her incredible flexibility and mobility to invert upside down, manipulate her foe’s hips, and yet again secure back control.
#3 The Rear-Naked Choke Finish
Considering that Bastos is arguably the best back-taker in the sport today, it’s no surprise that she’s an elite finisher from that position.
Once she takes her opponent’s back, the Brazilian’s weapon of choice is, unsurprisingly, the rear-naked choke.
Across her 57 career submission victories at the black belt level, her top finish by a wide margin is the choke from the back.
#4 Relentless Pressure Passing
Because Bastos is such a talented and dangerous guard player, fans might dismiss her top game. They’d be mistaken, though, as the Brazilian is a supremely skilled pressure passer.
In contrast to her complex and modern guard game, Bastos possesses an old-school style of guard passing that emphasizes pinning pressure and fundamental techniques – all of which remain highly effective against world-class black belts.
#5 The Armbar
If she can’t find her way to her opponent’s back, Bastos doesn’t stop hunting for the submission. Beyond the rear-naked choke, her favorite submission is the classic elbow-snapping armbar.
Notably, she can attack the armbar with lightning speed from a wide variety of positions, including the closed guard, open guard, or in a transition from the top position.
