Colin Oates used Sumi Gaeshi not only as a way to score from standing, but as his primary method of initiating Newaza. His leg escape into Mune Gatame worked hand-in-hand with his Sumi Gaeshi. So much so that Oates would regularly attack with Sumi Gaeshi with the intention actually being to set-u...

Sometimes Colin Oates’s opponents would catch the leg far too tightly for him to free it in his usual manner. So he developed a tie off variation of his leg escape into Mune Gatame, so that he wasn’t trying to free the leg using his lower body alone.

If the partner has managed to keep a tight gr...

When opponents became familiar with Colin Oates’s leg escape they would start bringing their arm in tight to their body, to prevent him from going under their armpit. So he developed a reverse variation, prising their elbow up and entering from the opposite direction.

Once inside, he secures th...

In this clip we will look at competition variations of Colin Oates’ leg escape

On his way to the bronze medal at the 2014 Samsun Grand Prix, Colin Oates defeats Georgia’s Tatarashvili using his leg escape after a failed drop Seoi nage attempt by his opponent.

As Oates tries to release the leg, ...

In the later part of his competitive career Colin Oates was regarded as one of the best lightweight Newaza technicians in the world.

Oates says that it was his groundwork that elevated him from an average international competitor to being inside the top five in his weight.

He had two techniques...

Here double European medallist Colin Oates demonstrates the standard variation of his arm tie roll from start to finish.

Oates says that a great way to initiate the roll is by pulling through your partner on the sleeve and then chopping them down.

As a result, they are likely to land on all-fou...

Once Oates had the jacket tied up, he considered this as a winning position. If his partner tried to prevent the roll he had a couple of other variations of the technique that he could use in order to secure Osaekomi… His first variation was Sangaku.

The most common defence to the arm tie roll w...

If Colin Oates was up against a particularly strong or flexible opponent, they would sometimes be able to brace their leg high up and prevent his Sangaku arm tie roll. In this situation he would use his reverse variation.

As Oates secures the tie off, the partner manages to get his foot high up ...

In this clip we see the competition variations of Colin Oates’s arm tie roll.

On his way to a bronze medal at the 2013 Rijeka Grand Prix Oates uses the standard variation of his arm tie roll against Spain’s Cases

Oates brings his right knee into play to help turn his opponent onto his back.

On...