Outside Heel Hook

Last updated: June 20, 2026

What is an outside heel hook?

An outside heel hook is one of the two main versions of the heel hook, a submission that controls a trapped leg and uses the heel as a lever to put rotational pressure on the knee. The attacker grips the heel and turns it away from the opponent’s body, which forces the lower leg to twist outward. Because the knee resists that twist through its ligaments, the joint takes the strain rather than the foot.

The “outside” label points to where the leg sits and which way it turns. The attacker controls the leg on the outside of their hip and rotates the heel laterally, away from the midline. Grapplers sometimes call this the standard or lateral heel hook, as opposed to the inside (or inverted) heel hook that twists the other direction.

MMA fans usually meet the term during ground exchanges, when a fighter ties up a leg in what commentators call a leg entanglement or ashi garami. From there, the outside heel hook becomes a real finishing threat. Following it helps a viewer understand why a fighter flat on their back can suddenly be one rotation away from ending the fight.

How the outside heel hook works

The heel is only a handle. The real damage happens at the knee.

Setting it up starts with trapping the leg so it cannot spin free, usually by pinning the thigh and keeping the opponent’s knee close to the hips. Coaches call this controlling the knee line, and it matters more than anything else. If the knee slips past the hips, the whole leg rotates as one piece, and no pressure reaches the joint.

Once the leg is locked, the attacker cups the heel with the blade of the wrist and pins the toes against their chest or armpit. The finish comes from turning the entire torso, not from yanking with the arms. That body rotation drives the heel outward, the foot turns, and the torque runs up through the ankle into the knee. As BJJ Info puts it, the order never changes: control first, rotate second.

Common positions for it include the basic ashi garami, the outside ashi (where the attacker’s leg crosses over the trapped leg), and the symmetrical 50/50 entanglement.

Outside vs. inside heel hook

Most people look this term up because they have heard both names and want to know the difference. It comes down to which way the heel turns and which part of the knee pays for it.

	Outside heel hook	Inside heel hook
Rotation	Heel turns outward (external)	Heel turns inward (internal)
Also called	Standard, lateral	Inverted, medial
Main targets	LCL and outer ankle structures	ACL and MCL on the inside of the knee
Common positions	Ashi garami, outside ashi, 50/50	Inside sankaku (saddle), 50/50
Relative danger	Serious; often gives slightly more warning	Generally considered more dangerous

Both attack the knee through rotation, just in opposite directions. The inside heel hook is generally considered the more dangerous of the two, because internal rotation loads the ACL and the structures on the inside of the knee and tends to give less warning before something tears. Evolve makes the point that neither version is universally better, though. Effectiveness depends on the position and the timing more than on the variation itself.

Is the outside heel hook dangerous?

Yes. Every heel hook ranks among the most dangerous submissions in grappling, and the outside version is no exception. The reason sits in the joint it attacks. According to BJJ More, knee ligaments have few pain receptors, so they can tear before a person feels the warning pain that an armbar or a choke would give. By the time it hurts, the harm may already be done.

The outside heel hook loads the lateral collateral ligament and the structures on the outside of the knee and ankle. Physiotherapists writing at Natural Movement Physio note that the ankle tends to absorb some of that force too, which is one reason this version is sometimes thought to give a fraction more warning than the inside heel hook. That extra margin is slim. Ligament injuries heal slowly and often need surgery, so the standard advice is to tap early rather than test it.

The outside heel hook in MMA

Heel hooks are legal in the UFC and across the other major MMA promotions, which is part of why leg entanglements turn up so often in modern fights. BJJ More points to fighters such as Charles Oliveira and Ryan Hall using heel hooks effectively at the highest level.

The catch is the risk against reward. Diving for a leg from the bottom can hand an opponent top position if the finish fails, so plenty of fighters use the technique selectively, often during scrambles when a leg is already exposed. Its rise in MMA tracks the broader leg lock boom that came out of no-gi grappling over the past decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the outside or inside heel hook more dangerous?

The inside heel hook is generally considered more dangerous. It loads the ACL and inner knee ligaments and tends to give less warning, while the outside version targets the outer knee and ankle.

Is the outside heel hook legal in MMA?

Yes. Heel hooks are allowed in the UFC and the other major MMA organizations, unlike many gi grappling rulesets that restrict them.

Why is it called a heel hook if it attacks the knee?

The heel is just the handle. An attacker grips it to rotate the leg, which is where the name comes from, even though the force that does the real damage lands on the knee.

What is the difference between a heel hook and an ankle lock?

An ankle lock bends or extends the ankle joint itself. A heel hook uses the heel as a lever to rotate the leg and attack the knee.

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Sources

1. Evolve MMA. “Inside vs Outside Heel Hook: Differences, Effectiveness, And When To Use Each.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://evolve-mma.com/blog/inside-vs-outside-heel-hook-differences-effectiveness-and-when-to-use-each/
2. BJJ Info. “Heel Hook.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjinfo.org/wiki/Heel_Hook
3. BJJ More. “Heel Hook: The Complete Guide to BJJ’s Most Dangerous Submission.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://bjjmore.com/heel-hook/
4. Natural Movement Physio. “Knee Injuries from a Heel Hook.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://www.naturalmovementphysio.com/blog/kneeinjuriesheelhook
5. Digitsu. “Outside Heel Hook Breakdown.” Accessed June 2026.
   https://digitsu.com/t/outside-heel-hook

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