John Danaher has drawn the ire of the Catch Wrestling community following the release of his latest instructional DVD, Master the Move: The American Lock. The DVD explores what Danaher calls “The American Lock,” a rebranding of a submission already known in various grappling arts by names such as the Americana, ude-garami, or top wrist lock.
The Catch Wrestling community has not taken kindly to the name change. A post on X (formerly Twitter) by Catch Wrestling U sarcastically noted, “I better tell these medieval, pre-Columbus Germans this is The ‘Merican Lock 😤🇺🇸,” accompanied by an ancient sketch resembling the move.
Historical Origins of the Americana
The Americana, as it is commonly known in BJJ, owes much of its recognition to Bob Anderson, an accomplished American wrestler and Olympic coach. In 1978, Anderson traveled to Brazil to develop wrestling programs and ended up training with Rolls Gracie. During their sessions, Anderson introduced Gracie to the Americana, a submission heavily utilized in wrestling. Anderson’s visit and their legendary 55-minute grappling match contributed to the Americana’s integration into the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu system.
Anderson later facilitated Rolls Gracie’s participation in the Pan American Games in sambo wrestling, where Gracie achieved success.
Catch Wrestling’s Historical Claims
Catch Wrestling U and other advocates argue that the Americana’s lineage extends far beyond modern wrestling and BJJ. They point to medieval wrestling manuals and techniques documented in Irish Collar & Elbow wrestling, which predate modern grappling systems. Techniques resembling the Americana, or “inverted chickenwing” as some call it, appear in centuries-old illustrations and texts, underscoring its long-standing existence.
The “Mir Lock” Connection
Adding to the complexity of the debate, the technique is also frequently referred to as the “Mir Lock,” named after former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. Mir popularized the move during his MMA career, although he applied it in a variation more associated with Catch Wrestling mechanics. Even in this case, grappling communities generally recognize its multifaceted origins.
Danaher’s Rebranding and the Community’s Reaction
Danaher’s instructional positions the “American Lock” as a fundamental and versatile submission in grappling. The accompanying description emphasizes its applications across positions, integrating it with other techniques to create a dominant strategy. While this might resonate with BJJ practitioners, Catch Wrestling enthusiasts argue that such rebranding erases the rich, documented history of the move’s evolution across grappling traditions.
The underlying frustration seems to stem from a broader cultural clash between BJJ’s commercialization and Catch Wrestling’s focus on preserving its historical identity. One commentator summarized the sentiment by stating:
“It’s not about denying innovation—it’s about respecting the lineage and acknowledging where these techniques come from.”
Indoctrination
Danaher, known for his methodical and intellectual approach to grappling, often re-brands moves in an attempt to further his mystique. He’s not alone in doing this. Gracie academy, Danaher and Eddie Bravo have all given their own names to moves with various motivations.
It’s also interesting to note that Danaher usually uses the Japanese terminology meaning using Ude-Garami would actually be in his stlye. It seems strange that this technique is an exception.
Gracie University instructionals are said to never use terms like “armbar”, “cross face”, “scarf hold”, “shrimp escape”, “tripod sweep” and instead use slightly changed terms like “straight armlock”, “neck hug”, “modified side control”, “elbow escape”, and “hook sweep” or “cross sweep”.
It’s worth mentioning that cults often manipulate language as a tool for indoctrination, rebranding common terms or creating unique jargon to establish a sense of exclusivity and control. By renaming concepts or redefining familiar ideas, cult leaders isolate members from external influences and create an “us versus them” mentality. These linguistic changes serve several psychological purposes: they foster group identity, make the ideology seem novel or revolutionary, and subtly alter the way members think and communicate. Over time, the specialized language embeds itself into the members’ worldview, reinforcing loyalty and dependency. The deliberate manipulation of language ensures that members interpret the world through the cult’s perspective, making it harder to critically evaluate or break away from its doctrines.
