In a statement that has sent ripples through the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community, former UFC featherweight Ryan Hall has declared that he doesn’t believe “shrimping” – one of the most commonly taught fundamental movements in BJJ – is a legitimate technique.
“I think the shrimp is a real move… it’s a giant spiel and seizure to show in person,” Hall stated in a recent interview. “There’s a lot of things that we think of as fundamental that I think are really pretty negative.”
When the interviewer pointed out that questioning shrimping is essentially “heresy” in jiu-jitsu circles, Hall doubled down on his controversial take.
For those unfamiliar with the technique, shrimping involves practitioners scooting their hips away from an opponent while on their back – a movement considered essential for creating space and escaping bad positions in ground fighting.
Hall offered a less flattering description: “It’s like a really athletic looking position where you look like someone that’s trying to stick their butt out on Instagram, and then you push your hands away and you expose your face, and then you lay on your side because someone told you to do that.”
The timing of Hall’s technical critique comes as he’s preparing for a return to competition after an extended absence due to medical issues. Since his last UFC appearance against Ilia Topuria in December 2021, Hall has undergone a staggering 19 surgeries under general anesthesia.
“[I] got fallen on, tore my ACL, had to fix [the] plantar plate that was torn under my foot,” Hall explained. “[I] got fallen on again, had to have a tight rope surgery, the one like Pat Mahomes [had].”
Further complications included an infection in his ACL requiring emergency procedures for septic arthritis, and an allergic reaction to surgical hardware that necessitated additional operations.
Despite these setbacks, Hall remains optimistic about returning to competition in March or April 2024, potentially at bantamweight. He’s expressed interest in meaningful matchups that could reestablish his position in the division, specifically mentioning Bryce Mitchell as a potential opponent.
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