Trivium kick off their “Silence In The Snow” headlining tour with Sabaton and Huntress this week (see dates below). We recently found out that Trivium vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy is a big fan of mixed martial arts, so we picked his brain on his favorite Brazilian jiu-jitsu attacks – an integral part of being a well-rounded mix martial arts practitioner.

Silence In The Snow was released on October 2, 2015 through Roadrunner Records and is available for purchase on iTunes. You can also check out the band’s music video for “Dead And Gone” below the list.

MKH’s Top 5 Personal Favorite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Attacks

1. Straight ankle lock to belly down ankle lock if opponent escapes. Using the typical straight ankle, if the opponent jumps over, go to belly down to finish the attack.

2. Knee bar from top half guard combo; shoot the knee bar first, if they triangle their legs to protect – toe hold attack the opposite leg; hopefully this will cause the first knee to be left unprotected, attack that again – if they block again, pull the toe held leg over the initial knee and knee bar over their foot.

3. Spider guard with opponent standing to spider/ X guard sweep. With opponent standing, fake the standard spider sweep, hook the close leg and use the leg meant for the sweep post and transform it to X guard; keep the spider and X, pull collar and sweep.

4. Triangles, from anywhere. My long legs definitely work nicely with triangles. Triangles from spider are my main go to.

5. Kesa gatame side control over the neck to both arm attacks. Giving up the underhook is risky, but in this side control if you wrap around the head and grab your own inner thigh, that far arm now is open to Americana, straight arm lock, wrist lock, and crucifix. If you crucifix that arm, roll belly down and attack the opposite arm with Americana, straight arm, wrist lock, and kimura.