What makes Kyle Daukaus’ grappling dangerous for any middleweight?

MMA has slowly turned into a sport where nothing is really set in stone and everything is possible. It is important that fighters are well rounded in all three categories—striking, wrestling, and submissions—in order to compete at the professional level. In the course of a fighter’s career, most of them are able to develop a well-rounded skill set, although there are a select few who excel in certain disciplines. For Kyle Daukaus, that specialty is his grappling, which has been a lethal tool in the UFC’s middleweight division.

Daukaus is well-known for his slick submissions and positional control and his ability to bring the heat in the ground and pound department. Even though he is not as famous as some of his peers, he is a force to reckon with for any middleweight fighter who may be unfortunate enough to have to face him in the octagon.

In this article, we’ll break down the different aspects of Kyle Daukaus’ grappling that make him a dangerous fighter for any middleweight division. We will look at his BJJ experience, his fight record, and how he approaches fights that may cause problems for his division. Furthermore, we will look at some of his previous fights, the significance of groundwork in the middleweight class, and what might be in store for Daukaus as he progresses through his career.

The Foundation: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt

That is where we must look at Kyle Daukaus’ origins in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) to comprehend why his takedowns are so potent. Daukaus is a BJJ black belt under Jared Weiner, an acclaimed trainer from Philadelphia. His family background is in martial arts; his brother is Chris Daukaus, a heavyweight in the UFC with a reputation for knockouts, but Kyle is a submission grappler.

Daukaus’ ability to adapt and push the pace on the ground is an area that he is well-versed in, and this is where many of his opponents may be lacking as well. It is not easy to get a black belt in BJJ; it requires a lot of practice, repetition, and even more training in full-contact sparring with other black belt practitioners. This foundation has paved the way for Daukaus to easily move to MMA, where grappling is usually the deciding factor, especially when two fighters are evenly matched.

The term Brazilian jiu-jitsu is centered on grappling with an opponent on the floor and looking for ways to either submit him or keep him down. In MMA, this translates to the ability to shut down an opponent’s striking by taking them to the ground, where a skilled grappler like Daukaus can dictate the tempos of the fight. While some fighters are willing to just lay and pray for points, Daukaus is constantly searching for submissions—something that really separates him as a finisher on the ground.

The Grappling Threat: Submissions, Scrambles, and Transitions

Submissions: Finisher’s Mentality

Another identifying characteristic of Kyle Daukaus’ grappling is his finishers’ approach. He is not satisfied with winning rounds or dominant a fighter; he looks to finish a fight through submission. This makes him a very dangerous fighter because he does not allow his opponent to relax at any one time. In top position or back controlling, Daukaus always looks for submission, which makes him a dangerous fighter.

Daukaus has many submission methods at his disposal, though his rear-naked choke and D’Arce choke are unique. These two submissions are very useful in MMA, and Daukaus has applied them to knock out some of his rivals. The rear-naked choke is especially dangerous because it can be applied from various positions, such as the back control, at which Daukaus thrives at maintaining dominant position and positioning the opponent’s neck for the choke.

The D’Arce choke, however, is a more complex submission hold that cannot be done from most positions but is applied from a front head lock or during a tussle. Daukaus has demonstrated an ability to capitalize on his opponents when they are at the transitions, and the choke is tightened to show even the most hard-hearted fighters to submit. This willingness and ability to take submission opportunities make Daukaus a fighter who can end the bout at any given time.

Scrambles: Winning the Transitions

Another part of his game that was discussed in detail is Daukaus’ ability to win scrambles. The most important aspect of the takedowns in the MMA is usually scrambling, although it is usually overlooked in grappling. Scrambles are normally realized when both fighters are on their feet, perhaps after one or both of them tried a takedown or sweep or when a fighter is on the ground and trying to avoid being taken down. These are wild moments, high-intensity ones, but these are when Daukaus shines.

The fact that he can manage his scrambles is because of his BJJ background and his feel for grappling. In MMA, scrambles are often the difference between being on top, or in full mount, or being stuck on the bottom. Daukaus’ transitions are fast, and his awareness of the body mechanics gives him an edge in most of such scrambles. He becomes even more dangerous when he gets a position such as side control, mount, or back control.

Positional Dominance: Control Over Chaos

Although BJJ sweeps and scrambles are hallmarks of Daukaus’ grappling, pressure control is equally as crucial. MMA grappling is not only about submission but also about pinning down your opponent and taking the fight where you want it to go. This is where Daukaus stands out the most.

In the style of top control, Daukaus is quite calculated. He does not engage in dangerous stances that can enable his opponent to escape. However, he proceeds slowly from stance to stance, be it from guard, to side control, or mount. When he was once a heavyweight contender, he applied force and forcefulness to ground and pound or attempt submission on his opponents.

On the flip side, even when he is on the bottom, Daukaus is never a boring fighter. He is always trying to either push his opponent over or pull away to stand back up again. This is another area where his BJJ experience is particularly apparent: his guard game. Whether he is in closed guard or in butterfly guard, Daukaus is tough to pass and strike on, and he is always hunting for the submission as well.

Grappling in the UFC Middleweight Division

The UFC middleweight division has always been the most diverse, with fighters of different styles. There have been technical strikers like Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya and wrestlers like Chris Weidman and Yoel Romero, among others, making this division one of the most diverse in the UFC. But for some reason, wrestling remains one of the most significant factors that define success in the middleweight division when it is accompanied by the use of strikes.

Kyle Daukaus’ grappling is the wildcard in this context. Despite the fact that the division is filled with many strong strikers and versatile fighters, the fighters with a high level of submission grappling are relatively rare. Daukaus’ tendency to knock his opponents out on the ground means that he has a clear way to defeat opponents that might be more concerned with their striking.

The Striker’s Dilemma: Fighting a Grappler Like Daukaus

Forced to go with his stand-up striking, he will find himself in a tough spot against a grappler like Kyle Daukaus. This is because they are always afraid that they might be brought down, which slows them down in their attacks, thus affecting the flow. For those strikers who are anxious about the takedown, they are likely to throw fewer combinations, avoid going all out when throwing hard shots, and spend much of their energy dodging. This is music to Daukaus’ ears because it allows him to close the distance and take the fight to the clinch, where he can use his grappling skills.

The moment the fight goes to the ground, strikers are usually the losers. While some opponents have been able to stuff takedowns from Daukaus, they quickly realize that they cannot impose their own will on the wrestler and are instead being held down and put in bad spots for submission. This results in a psychological war where strikers are forced to factor their ability to throw offense while at the same time being under the pressure of being taken down and submitted.

Takedown defense: its importance

For anyone who would wish to keep off Daukaus’ grappling, takedown defense becomes very important. Though it would be easier said than done to stop a fighter with Daukaus’ level of grappling. The fact that he can link wrestling moves with BJJ submissions makes him a very hard nut to crack.

Daukaus doesn’t have only one type of takedown that he uses in the fight. He has a number of clinch attacks, trips, and double leg takedowns that his opponents can never predict. Still, he often goes straight to other moves, using the cage or his opponent’s movement to complete the takedown.

Opponents with good takedown defenses such as Derek Brunson or Marvin Vettori might be able to shut down the wrestling of Daukaus, but even against them, Daukaus would be a formidable grappler in the clinch and on the feet. Standing on the mat, many of the middleweights would be no match for Daukaus due to the better grappling skills.

Notable performances: breaking down key fights

To fully understand Kyle Daukaus’ grappling, let us look at some of his fights in the UFC octagon. Such fights not only show his skills as a technician but also prove that he can learn and deal with various tasks.

Daukaus, Kyle Daukaus UFC 255 Stoltzfus

Daukaus scored one of his most impressive wins against Dustin Stoltzfus during the UFC 255 event. In this fight, Daukaus did a good job of displaying his diverse grappling skills and kept the fight on the ground. He used his takedowns to clinch the fight to the floor where he slowly worked through the positions on Stoltzfus and continued to apply pressure.

This was not your typical ground-and-pound performance because Daukaus was able to incorporate some striking with his wrestling. He was not only searching for opportunities to send his submission but also to throw effective punches from above, which also caused additional damage to the opponent. The fight showed that Daukaus can keep the fight standing and be actively looking for the finish at the same time.

Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland (UFC Fight Night)

Daukaus was scheduled to fight Kevin Holland in an exciting match in UFC Fight Night. Despite the controversy of the no-contest, the fight proved Daukaus’ grappling game against a dangerous striker in Holland. In turn, after the head clash, Daukaus was able to take Holland to the ground, take his back, and sink in a rear-naked choke. Even though the result was changed, the series showed how fast Daukaus can reverse the momentum using his wrestling.

Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett, UFC Fight Night 201

Daukaus’ most memorable win so far is the fight against Jamie Pickett at UFC Fight Night 201. Daukaus knocked out Pickett in the first round with a D’Arce choke, once again proving that he can end fights using his specialty. The bout was over in about five minutes, but it was a perfect demonstration of how to prepare for a submission and then to apply it in a stressful situation.

Daukaus wasted no time in the fight and received a lot of praise; it was a perfect demonstration of his dangerous submission skills. He made it look easy and quickly secured the D’Arce choke and applied immense pressure on Pickett’s neck until he tapped out.

The Future for Kyle Daukaus: Can He Climb the Middleweight Ladder?

As Kyle Daukaus continues his journey in the UFC middleweight division, the question remains: how effective can his grappling be? It is a division full of great fighters, and many of them have a good all-around game. But grappling is where Daukaus shines and where his skills give him an edge over many of his fellow fighters.

To achieve the level at which he is competing against top contenders in the division, Daukaus will need to maintain polishing on his striking to accompany his grappling. Although his takedown defense is already there, well-roundedness is imperative in today’s UFC. If Daukaus can polish up his striking, especially his way of getting inside for the takedown without getting caught, he might well be a contender in the division.

Opposition with other grapplers or wrestlers would be quite appealing for Daukaus because his BJJ could help him win a fight against wrestlers who are more experienced than him. However, he will always be a threat at takedown and submission, which will keep the strikers on the back foot and unable to execute their strategies.

Conclusion

Kyle Daukaus’ BJJ is probably his most standout aspect in the UFC’s middleweight roster. When you add the fact that he has Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, the fact that he can win scrambles, control the position, and submit the opponent, then you have a dangerous man on your hands. For Khabib Nurmagomedov, as he grows as a fighter, his grappling will remain the best tool that will enable him to set the pace and make the opponent fight his style of fight.

The UFC middleweight division is packed with knockout artists and all-around fighters, but one thing that many of them have not seen from Daukaus is wrestling. Whether or not Daukaus can rise to the top of the division remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: His grappling is dangerous for any opponent he will meet, and his UFC potential is still untapped.