Dimitri Dragin’s Sumi Gaeshi is executed in a right vs right scenario, where both fighters have a traditional grip of sleeve and lapel

He has 2 main variations

The first is his twitch set up variation. Dragin uses this when the opponent is in a more upright position.

The twitch is used to get...

Dimitri Dragin executes his Sumi Geashi off a traditional sleeve and lapel grip.

Although it’s a right v right scenario, Dragin prefers for Uke to be upright, in a more square position, while having himself at a more side-on angle.

Dragin makes sure that he keeps his right arm relaxed on the l...

Dimitri Dragin says executing Sumi Gaeshi on an opponent in a defensive posture bares many similarities to his standard Sumi Gaeshi.

The arms start the same, right hand relaxed on the lapel, and left hand pulling on the sleeve, it’s the posture of his opponent that is the key difference, requiri...

During his career Dragin found that he could have success with Sumi gaeshi when using it as a response to an opponents failed attack.

It worked particularly well off a Drop Seoi Nage attempt, or any failed attack where they ended up on their knees, like Ouchi gari.

Thanks to Dragin’s quick reac...

Now let’s take a look and analyse how Dragin executed his different Sumi Gaeshi variations at the World’s biggest tournaments.

Up against Millar of Great Britain at the 2009 Paris Grand Slam, Dragin circles around disrupting his opponents balance, then attacks with his Sumi Gaeshi.

The circle D...