Georges St-Pierre vs Lex Fridman in Jiu Jitsu and MMA

00:00:00.000 | I'm here training with George St. Pierre, probably the greatest fighter of all time and also one of the nicest guys of all time.

00:00:07.000 | Not the nicest guy, not today.

00:00:09.000 | Not today, Nex. You came on the wrong day, my friend.

00:00:16.000 | He's breathing hard.

00:00:21.000 | Sorry.

00:00:23.000 | Hit, hit.

00:00:24.000 | Hit, hit.

00:00:52.000 | Advice shot.

00:00:54.000 | He dies, he dies.

00:01:00.000 | He dies, he dies.

00:01:01.000 | Any advice?

00:01:14.000 | Well, it's actually pretty good. Standing position, I think, sometimes you reach a little bit too much.

00:01:22.000 | So, if you reach out to me, it's easy for me to take a good position.

00:01:27.000 | Or, reach out to me, I can probably like, climb back on you.

00:01:32.000 | So, what I would suggest is, don't reach, get closer with your feet before you seek contact with me.

00:01:41.000 | Don't go here, go closer to each other.

00:01:45.000 | Yeah.

00:01:46.000 | Yes.

00:01:54.000 | Hit.

00:01:55.000 | Hit, hit.

00:02:12.000 | Hit.

00:02:21.000 | Hit.

00:02:22.000 | Hit, hit, hit.

00:02:34.000 | Hit, hit.

00:02:35.000 | Hit, hit.

00:02:51.000 | So, how is it different if you do MMA?

00:02:56.000 | Well, there's a lot of difference because in grappling, you set up, for example, your takedown from hand fighting.

00:03:06.000 | In MMA, there's different styles.

00:03:11.000 | I like to be using proactive and reactive takedown.

00:03:16.000 | Very often, I use one of my longest weapon as a decoy to get in your leg.

00:03:22.000 | Use my jab to create a distraction, then I can get in.

00:03:28.000 | Other guys, for example, like Khabib, are more like chain wrestler.

00:03:36.000 | They shoot sometimes, but they're very good at using, for example, the defense as, like, pushing you to defense.

00:03:44.000 | And then from there, they're using their wrestling from there.

00:03:49.000 | So, I'm more of a dynamic.

00:03:53.000 | Yeah, I like to explode.

00:03:55.000 | So, that's one of my strengths.

00:03:57.000 | Which Khabib is very good at, for example, at very good technically and he's very strong in isometric strength, I heard.

00:04:05.000 | So, he's very good with this style of wrestling.

00:04:09.000 | Do you think you can take Khabib down?

00:04:12.000 | I think I could, yeah.

00:04:14.000 | I think he could take me down as well, but...

00:04:17.000 | So, how do I defend against this?

00:04:19.000 | So, there's many ways.

00:04:22.000 | First, you need to be aware of the distance control.

00:04:24.000 | That's one of the things that was the best step.

00:04:28.000 | To master the distance control, you need to master the footwork.

00:04:31.000 | To be always in balance and ready to explode.

00:04:34.000 | A lot of guys, they don't know how to manage distance control.

00:04:37.000 | Also, because they don't have good footwork.

00:04:39.000 | They cross their leg, they go all over the place.

00:04:41.000 | So, when you move, it's important when...

00:04:43.000 | If I go left, I push off with my right.

00:04:47.000 | If I go right, I push off with my left.

00:04:49.000 | I go back, I push with my lead.

00:04:51.000 | I go forward, I push with my back.

00:04:53.000 | This is the basic.

00:04:54.000 | Thereafter, you can use different illusion.

00:04:58.000 | So, if I'm here, I look like I'm more of a threat to you than if I'm here.

00:05:03.000 | But I'm at the same distance.

00:05:06.000 | So, one of my favorite way to set up a takedown, a single or double, I use my jab.

00:05:10.000 | Which is one of my longest weapon.

00:05:12.000 | Of course, my legs are longer, but I like the jab to create the distraction.

00:05:15.000 | So, if I'm here, you see me coming.

00:05:17.000 | So, I use a distraction.

00:05:18.000 | I'm here, like a cobra, like a snake who launch itself on its prey.

00:05:23.000 | I'm using my body to...

00:05:25.000 | So, you have a false feeling of security now.

00:05:28.000 | Because you think I can't touch you, but because of my leg...

00:05:33.000 | - Oh, you're shifting your weight. - Yes.

00:05:35.000 | - And now you can explode off it.

00:05:36.000 | - And my jab start outside of your field of vision.

00:05:39.000 | So, I'm not doing this.

00:05:41.000 | I'm doing purpose, I'm putting it down, and I'm here.

00:05:44.000 | And I'm attracting your attention here, because I'm moving my hand.

00:05:47.000 | Boom!

00:05:48.000 | Once I tag you once or twice, now I have a perfect set up.

00:05:52.000 | Because in fighting, you have a short-term memory.

00:05:55.000 | You always remember what hurts you the last.

00:05:59.000 | And if it's my jab, then I can...

00:06:01.000 | I plant a seed in your mind, then I can go hop and get in easier.

00:06:06.000 | - And you finish how? You drop?

00:06:08.000 | - There is many ways. The best, highest percentile move is the elbow deep double leg.

00:06:14.000 | So, when I get in, I try to look across when I step across.

00:06:18.000 | So, I get in, I go elbow deep.

00:06:20.000 | The reason why I don't only go with my legs is because if you're stronger and bigger than me,

00:06:24.000 | and you sprawl from there, I can have a hard time.

00:06:27.000 | But if I go elbow deep, because of the leverage, you can't sprawl.

00:06:32.000 | Once I'm in, I look across and I drive across.

00:06:37.000 | To put you down.

00:06:39.000 | Sometimes you'll fight a guy, like for example, Bisping was very strong.

00:06:44.000 | And I couldn't drive across.

00:06:46.000 | So, when that happens, if you can't drive across, you turn the corner.

00:06:52.000 | - Nice.

00:06:53.000 | - Because, that's... they open up on the other side.

00:06:57.000 | Would you like to try?

00:06:58.000 | - Sure.

00:06:59.000 | - Yeah.

00:07:00.000 | - So, I'm here.

00:07:01.000 | - Yes. Go with your elbow deep here.

00:07:05.000 | And now you're going to drive across.

00:07:08.000 | Yes. Step across with you. Yes.

00:07:11.000 | If you do it again, jab.

00:07:15.000 | Set it up, jab.

00:07:17.000 | Now go ahead, go for it. Up.

00:07:19.000 | Yes. Yes. Exactly.

00:07:22.000 | And if I give you resistance, once you get in, I'm struggling and I'm sprawling my leg, you turn the corner.

00:07:29.000 | So, jab, set it up if you're fine. Jab.

00:07:34.000 | I'm sprawling. Yes.

00:07:36.000 | Very nice. You feel the difference?

00:07:38.000 | - Yeah.

00:07:39.000 | - So, if he's too strong, you go on the other side.

00:07:42.000 | Don't force or don't waste your energy for nothing.

00:07:45.000 | Try to be as economic as you can, as possibly you could be.

00:07:49.000 | - What about on the ground, what's the difference in Jiu-Jitsu for you and not in MMA?

00:07:53.000 | - Well, there's a lot of difference.

00:07:56.000 | I believe in Jiu-Jitsu, especially in the guard, you can't stay mid-range.

00:08:02.000 | I don't want to cover like this, like if I'm in a standing position.

00:08:06.000 | I want to cover like this.

00:08:07.000 | My head is on the ground, my muscles of my abdominal are contracted.

00:08:11.000 | So, it's possible for you to do damage here, but because I'm contracted, it's less likely.

00:08:17.000 | So, I want to focus all the protection on my head.

00:08:20.000 | - You're okay with this?

00:08:21.000 | - Yeah, it's okay. It's okay. But I want to be here.

00:08:24.000 | So, there's a gap where I can see you here.

00:08:26.000 | If I'm here, it's not as efficient because you can go on the side.

00:08:29.000 | And it's easy for you to grab my wrist, put it down, and hit.

00:08:33.000 | If I'm here, it's harder for you to control my arm.

00:08:36.000 | If you want to grab, it's hard for you to grab.

00:08:38.000 | So, that's the first thing.

00:08:40.000 | Another thing, if your hand is over here, I want to take away your hand on me.

00:08:44.000 | I want to pull you to me.

00:08:47.000 | I want to control your head and your arm.

00:08:49.000 | And from there, there's many options.

00:08:51.000 | I like to take the clamp because it controls your elevation and you can't hit me.

00:08:55.000 | It's either I'm very close to you or I'm very far.

00:09:01.000 | - Can you try to get up?

00:09:02.000 | - I'm very far. Yeah, if I can't get up, no problem.

00:09:04.000 | I'm using my leg to push you away or I can use the tip of my feet to create distance.

00:09:11.000 | So, you need to be aware that I can kick you in the head too.

00:09:14.000 | So, it's either very close or very far.

00:09:18.000 | - Or go on top.

00:09:19.000 | - On top, yeah. So, if I'm on top, the best position for me to be,

00:09:23.000 | ultimately, is not even mount, is to have your back,

00:09:28.000 | let you to the floor from this position.

00:09:32.000 | Because now you cannot hit me, I can hit you and I can either knock you out or submit you.

00:09:38.000 | This is the worst.

00:09:40.000 | Mount is the second best because I'm having a lot of control.

00:09:45.000 | Mount and also with my knees under your armpit.

00:09:49.000 | The worst would be in your guard.

00:09:52.000 | It's not as bad as if you would be in a jiu-jitsu competition

00:09:56.000 | because I have the gravity on my side.

00:09:58.000 | But if I'm here, I need to respect three rules.

00:10:01.000 | I never want you to put my hands on the floor and go submission, all kinds of things.

00:10:07.000 | You can very easily wrap my arm and wrap my head, close the distance.

00:10:11.000 | And now it's a thing for me.

00:10:13.000 | So, no hands on the floor.

00:10:15.000 | I don't want you to have your head higher than my head.

00:10:18.000 | Because if your head is higher than my head, you have a guillotine.

00:10:22.000 | It's very hard for me to control and do anything to you if my head is lower than your head.

00:10:27.000 | And another thing, the third thing, is I don't want to let you take an angle of me.

00:10:32.000 | So if you take an angle, you do a jujitsu kata on me, you see, you need to take an angle.

00:10:35.000 | So if I take away that angle, I kill your offense.

00:10:40.000 | So, my hands always on you, never on the floor.

00:10:43.000 | - Are you trying to hit a little bit? - Yeah, I can hit at the same time.

00:10:46.000 | If you try to raise your head up, I don't accept that you have my head high.

00:10:50.000 | If you try to take an angle, I put you back in line.

00:10:54.000 | So if I respect these three rules, as I'm respecting these three rules, I can cause damage.

00:11:00.000 | Even if I'm in the guard.

00:11:01.000 | My goal is always, eventually, to pass the guard, get to a more dominant position.

00:11:07.000 | - I love it. - In a nutshell, that's what it's about.

00:11:10.000 | - Well, thank you, Jurek. - No, man.

00:11:12.000 | You guys got a chance to train with Elon, to watch him train, take steps on his martial arts journey.

00:11:19.000 | - What do you think? - I think he's very strong.

00:11:21.000 | Much stronger than the average man.

00:11:23.000 | He's got a lot of heart. He's very tough.

00:11:26.000 | So, I've always found that by far and away the most important thing,

00:11:32.000 | when two people get into a clash, skill level trumps everything else in terms of what's going to turn the outcome.

00:11:39.000 | - Skill beats heart. - Skill beats everything.

00:11:42.000 | That's not to say other things aren't relevant, but skill is more relevant.

00:11:46.000 | From what I understand, his proposed opponent has almost two years of training experience.

00:11:50.000 | That's a big advantage.

00:11:52.000 | So it will be an uphill battle.

00:11:55.000 | I will say, however, though, that I'm deeply impressed with both George and myself,

00:11:59.000 | with his overall ability to watch the subject from a very good angle.

00:12:04.000 | He's extremely intelligent and sees what is the crux of the problem, identifies what would need to be done.

00:12:12.000 | But I also believe that he's probably one of the busiest human beings on the planet.

00:12:17.000 | That said, these guys doing martial arts, training martial arts is pretty damn awesome.

00:12:22.000 | I think, ultimately, the deepest lesson is that both of these guys have had an amazing impact on 21st century society

00:12:29.000 | and both still have a lot of work to do.

00:12:31.000 | I think they're two people who have put themselves in a position where they can create greater benefits for humanity

00:12:41.000 | than almost anyone else can afford.

00:12:44.000 | And so there's a sense in which I wish they would focus more on that than fighting each other.

00:12:49.000 | All right, so one more round. This is for everything. It's a submission.

00:12:52.000 | Yes, sir!

00:12:54.000 | This is for the greatest fighter of all time.

00:12:58.000 | Yes, sir!

00:13:00.000 | Yes, sir!

00:13:28.000 | - Thank you, Lex.

Georges St-Pierre vs Lex Fridman in Jiu Jitsu and MMA

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