The secret to winning on the ground is connections. In fact, we were going to call this book Mat-Work Connections, but our editors suggested Winning on the Ground: Training and Techniques for Judo and MMA Fightersbecause, they pointed out, no one would know what we meant by mat-work connections unless they read the book, and people usually don't buy books when they don't understand what they are about. Everyone knows what winning on the ground means, and most people want to do it. Mat-work connections are the secret to winning on the ground. You connect several techniques that you do very well, linking them in ways that are a little different each time. So if your opponent blocks your half nelson by putting a hand out, you grab the wrist and do the wrist-control series. If he or she is on top of you, you can "collect the arm," go into the mount (either pin in judo or start punching in mixed martial arts) and then execute the armbar. If your opponent rolls to his or her stomach to escape the armbar, go for the half nelson.