Inside Leg Trip

Last updated: June 1, 2026

What is an inside leg trip takedown?

The inside leg trip belongs to the family of leg trips, techniques that use one fighter’s leg to take an opponent’s base away instead of grabbing and lifting the legs by hand. The “inside” part tells you where the trip lands. The attacker’s leg slides between the opponent’s legs and catches the inside of the near thigh, knee, or ankle.

What makes it different from a flashy throw is how little force it needs. According to Grapplearts, the inside trip is one of the easier takedowns to land on a bigger, stronger opponent because it runs on timing and body position rather than raw strength. The grappler off-balances the opponent first, usually by getting them to step forward and plant their weight on the leg that is about to be trapped, then trips that loaded leg while pushing or pulling the torso the other way.

In judo, this same action has a name. Wikipedia lists it as o uchi gari, the “major inner reap,” one of the original 40 throws of Kodokan judo and a foot technique in the ashi-waza group. Wrestlers and BJJ players tend to call it the inside trip, but the mechanics line up closely across all three sports.

How the inside leg trip works

Picture two grapplers tied up chest to chest. One has an underhook or a body lock and feels the other’s weight settle onto a front foot. That loaded leg is the target. The attacker steps in, threads a leg to the inside of it, and uses the trapped limb as a pivot while the upper body gets steered backward or to the side.

The off-balancing matters more than the trip itself. Judo calls this kuzushi, the act of breaking an opponent’s posture before the technique lands, and Evolve MMA describes the trip as guiding a falling opponent rather than forcing a standing one over. If the opponent’s base is square and their weight is centered, the leg trip just bumps them. Once their weight is committed forward onto the trapped leg, a small hook finishes the job.

This is why the inside trip fits the clinch so well. BJJ World points out that it works from positions both BJJ and MMA naturally fall into, where strikes and grips push fighters into close contact, and a full wrestling shot is risky. The attacker does not need to change levels or sprint through a double leg. They need an angle and a feel for the moment the opponent’s weight commits.

Inside trip vs outside trip

Most confusion about the inside trip comes from mixing it up with the outside trip. The two attacks opposite sides of the same leg and send the opponent in opposite directions.

	Inside leg trip	Outside leg trip
Where the leg catches	Inside of the opponent’s leg	Outside of the opponent’s leg
Upper-body direction	Pulled forward or to the side	Driven backward
Judo cousin	O uchi gari (major inner reap)	O soto gari (major outer reap)
Common setup	Underhook, body lock, arm drag	Overhook, head and arm control
Best moment	Opponent steps in and loads the near leg	Opponent’s weight is back on the heel

A close relative is the inside hook, which Evolve MMA links to ko uchi gari, the “minor inner reap.” It catches lower on the inside of the ankle and works when an opponent resists being driven straight back, letting the attacker change direction and catch them moving.

What grapplers in other styles call it

The same trip carries different labels depending on the gym you walk into. A judoka reaping the inside of the leg is doing o uchi gari, with ko uchi gari as the smaller ankle-level version. A wrestler doing the identical motion off a two-on-one or collar tie simply calls it an inside trip, as BJJ Spot notes when describing how it sets up from almost any tie-up. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the wrestling vocabulary tends to win out, so most BJJ coaches say inside trip too. The name changes, the leg still reaps from the inside.

Is the inside leg trip legal?

Legality depends on the ruleset, and this is worth getting right before drilling it for competition.

In freestyle wrestling, judo, and most Brazilian jiu-jitsu rulesets, the inside trip is allowed. Evolve MMA notes that trips are legal under IBJJF rules as long as the finish avoids slamming and dangerous knee-reaping motions, which can be penalized for safety reasons. Greco-Roman wrestling is the clear exception. Wikipedia notes that leg trips are illegal there because Greco-Roman bans all attacks below the waist. In MMA, the inside trip is a standard tool, since the sport allows the full range of wrestling and judo takedowns.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a trip and a throw?

A trip uses small weight shifts and a leg hook to off-balance an opponent, while a throw usually lifts or projects them using momentum and hip rotation. Evolve MMA frames trips as lower-commitment and easier to chain from a clinch.

What is the inside trip called in judo?

O uchi gari, which translates to “major inner reap.” The ankle-level variation is ko uchi gari, or “minor inner reap.”

Can smaller grapplers use the inside trip?

Yes. Because it relies on timing and angle rather than power, it is often recommended for lighter athletes against bigger opponents.

Which MMA fighters are known for it?

The inside trip is most associated with wrestling-heavy and sambo-based fighters; Yoel Romero’s version has been broken down often enough that instructionals are named after it. Treat any specific fight claim as something to verify against footage.

---

Sources

1. Wikipedia. “O uchi gari.” Accessed June 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Takedown (grappling).” Accessed June 2026.
3. Evolve MMA. “The Art Of BJJ Trips And How They Help You Control Opponents.” Accessed June 2026.
4. BJJ Spot. “Ouchi Gari / Inside Trip Takedown: How To Set Up And Finish.” Accessed June 2026.
5. BJJ World. “The Inside Trip Takedown For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.” Accessed June 2026.
6. Fanatic Wrestling. “Sharpen Your Takedowns With This Inside Trip With Henry Cejudo.” Accessed June 2026.
7. Grapplearts. “Top 10 Throws and Takedowns for BJJ.” Accessed June 2026.

Related MMA Terms