Key Takeaways:
- A 2-volume Uchi Mata instructional from Justin Flores, Olympic Judo coach and D1 wrestler
- Covers hand fighting, setups, the pivot entry, combinations, and counters against resistance
- Flores brings a unique perspective as a Judo National Champion who coached Ronda Rousey and the 2021 USA Olympic Judo team
- Ideal for BJJ and MMA grapplers who want the Uchi Mata but need it adapted for their context, not traditional Judo drills
- Rating: 9/10
ULTIMATE UCHI MATA JUSTIN FLORES DVD DOWNLOAD
The Uchi Mata is the iconic throw of Judo — the technique that defines the sport. But for BJJ and MMA grapplers, the traditional Judo approach to Uchi Mata often falls short. The setups assume gi-specific gripping, the entry requires a commitment to the turn that invites guillotines, and the follow-up assumes a Judo ruleset where ground fighting is paused after the throw.
The Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD addresses this gap directly. Justin Flores teaches Uchi Mata the way a grappler needs it — with hand fighting that works in MMA, entries that protect your neck, and Uchi Mata combinations that flow into submissions rather than stopping at the throw. The Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores system is a Judo throws for MMA competitor’s approach to Judo’s most famous technique, adapted for the cage and the mat.
Learning the Uchi Mata for BJJ
There are two ways to learn the Uchi Mata. The traditional Judo way — endless uchikomi, rigid gripping patterns, and a focus on the throw itself as the endpoint. And there is the Flores way: understanding why the technique works, adapting it for different rule sets, and treating the throw as the beginning of a grappling sequence rather than the end.
Don’t Be Scared To Turn Your Back gets its name from the single most intimidating aspect of the Uchi Mata for BJJ players — the moment you turn your back to enter the throw. Flores dedicates significant time to addressing this fear, teaching Uchi Mata combinations that minimize exposure and recover to dominant positions even if the throw is not completed.
The Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD is designed for grapplers who need the technique to work when strikes, guillotines, and back takes are real threats. The Judo throws for MMA approach that Flores pioneered with Ronda Rousey is the foundation of this instructional.
Lifelong Grappers Justin Flores
Justin Flores is one of the most credentialed Judo coaches in the United States. He started Judo at age 8, wrestled in high school (ranked #3 nationally), and earned a full-ride D1 wrestling scholarship at the University of Nebraska. Flores is a Judo National Champion and served as a coach for the 2021 USA Olympic Judo Team, as well as coaching at the 2017 World Judo Championships.
He is perhaps best known for coaching Ronda Rousey, but his coaching resume extends across three UFC champions. Flores also holds a BJJ black belt under Fabio Santos (Rickson Gracie lineage), which he earned in 2020 after an unusually fast ascent — purple belt in 5 classes, brown belt in 5 months. This rapid progress reflects his deep grappling foundation across Judo, wrestling, and BJJ.
Based in San Diego, Flores teaches at Legion San Diego and runs his own Jflo Academy. His background makes him uniquely qualified to teach Uchi Mata for grapplers rather than traditional Judoka. The Justin Flores Judo philosophy prioritizes adaptability and real-world application over traditional form.
Detailed Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD Review
If the Uchi Mata has always seemed out of reach, this is the instructional that will get you there. Pair it with Flores’ other instructional, Foot Prop Fundamentals: Sasae Supremacy, for a complete takedown system from one of the best Judo coaches in the country.
Volume 1: The Entry System
Volume 1 is dedicated to getting the throw. Flores starts with hand fighting and setups — the prerequisites that most Uchi Mata instructionals skip. The Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD teaches how to create the off-balancing through grip fighting rather than static gripping patterns, recognizing that BJJ and MMA grapplers cannot rely on the traditional Judo sleeve-and-lapel grip framework.
The Stepping section breaks down the footwork of the entry, with Flores demonstrating how the pivot step differs from the traditional Judo entry. The emphasis on maintaining vision of the opponent during the turn is a BJJ-specific adaptation that protects against guillotines and back takes.
The Turn section is the heart of Volume 1. Justin Flores covers multiple entry variations that allow you to execute the Uchi Mata without fully committing your back. The concept of “partial commitment” — entering the throw with the option to abort and recover if the timing is off — is one of the most valuable lessons in the instructional.
Volume 2: Combinations, Counters, And Defense
The second volume shifts to the tactical application of the Uchi Mata in a live grappling context. The Combination section teaches the Uchi Mata as part of a throw sequence — Ouchi Gari to Uchi Mata, Kouchi Gari to Uchi Mata, and the classic Harai Goshi to Uchi Mata combination. These are not random combinations but tactical sequences designed to create the reaction that opens the Uchi Mata.
The Counters section addresses what happens when the opponent defends the Uchi Mata. Flores teaches recovery positions — if the throw fails, how to land in a dominant or neutral position rather than on your back. This is the section that makes the instructional worth the price for BJJ grapplers who have been burned by failed Uchi Mata attempts.
The Defense portion teaches how to stop the Uchi Mata when the opponent attempts it on you — a critical skill for training partners who will face Uchi Mata specialists. Flores frames defense through structural positioning: blocking the hip, controlling the posting arm, and counter-throwing with a simple foot sweep.
Uchi Mata Mastery Takes Time
Like many Judo-based instructionals, the Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD rewards drilling patience. The recommended approach is to spend at least a week on Volume 1’s hand fighting and stepping before attempting the full entry. The partial commitment entries should be drilled against a partner who provides progressive resistance, starting with compliant drilling and building up to live attempts.
The Uchi Mata for BJJ applications in Volume 2’s Uchi Mata combinations section should be integrated after the fundamental entry is consistent. Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores shows how drilling the combinations as a flow drill builds the timing needed for live attempts.
GET IT HERE: ULTIMATE UCHI MATA JUSTIN FLORES DVD
Who Is This For?
This instructional is for any grappler who knows they should use the Uchi Mata but is afraid to commit to the turn. Don’t Be Scared To Turn Your Back is specifically designed for the BJJ and MMA grappler who has tried traditional Judo Uchi Mata instruction and found it does not translate to their training environment.
Blue belts through black belts will find value, with the hand-fighting section being particularly useful for intermediate grapplers who have the athletic pieces but not the tactical understanding. Grapplers who compete in submission-only or sub-only no-gi formats will benefit most from the MMA-style entries that protect the neck.
The ideal audience is the intermediate grappler who has the confidence to enter leg entanglements but hesitates to turn their back for a throw.
Pros & Potential Drawbacks
Pros:
- Flores’ combination of Judo National Champion, D1 wrestling, and BJJ black belt credentials gives him a perspective that no single-discipline instructor could provide
- The partial commitment entries are a genuine innovation — they make the Uchi Mata accessible to grapplers who are not comfortable with full Judo-style turning
- The recovery and counter sections address the real-world consequences of failed throws, which is where most BJJ players get discouraged with Judo
- At 2 volumes, the instructional is focused enough to study quickly but dense enough to revisit
Potential Drawbacks:
- The Uchi Mata remains a mechanically demanding technique — no amount of smart instruction replaces dedicated drilling
- Flores’ coaching background means the teaching style is more coach-to-athlete than professor-to-student, which some viewers may find less emotional but more technical
- The 2-volume format means less depth on the defense section than some grapplers might want
Don’t Be Scared To Turn Your Back
The Ultimate Uchi Mata by Justin Flores is the Uchi Mata instructional for the BJJ grappler who has been told to learn Judo but found traditional instruction incompatible with their game. The Ultimate Uchi Mata Justin Flores DVD delivers exactly what the title promises — permission to turn your back, coupled with the technical framework to do it safely and effectively.
