Strike, Grab, or Drop Him?

Three split-second decisions. Three different outcomes. Which one would you take?

Author

Paulo Simoes
May 14, 2025

In partnership with

Hey Warrior,

In the real world, there’s no script.

No second take.

And while we can’t prepare for every outcome, we can prepare for the most likely ones.

So here’s the question…

What if you didn’t use the Rear Naked Choke the way we trained it yesterday?

Would you strike first?

Target the weapon arm?

Go straight for a takedown?

Let’s explore a few alternate paths—and see which one fits your instincts best.

But first a word from out sponsor.

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Today is What If Wednesday…

…where we explore a few different Engagement Options on how to handle our situation of the week.

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If you haven’t seen the video you can check it out here…

or…

Let’s start exploring options, building adaptability, and learning to think like someone who wins fights… not survives them.

Let’s take a look at a few tactical forks in the road.

📥 Download your Alternate Response Playbook to explore three alternate paths:

  • Striking first

  • Targeting the mace arm

  • Going straight for the takedown

Each one comes with pros, cons, and critical thinking prompts to help you sharpen your instinct under stress.

👇 Click below to download the PDF

Fight or Flight Response Variation Playbook.pdf11.20 MB • PDF File

Then ask yourself…

…which path feels most natural to you—and would it still be your choice under pressure?

Want to see how these decisions play out in live training?

🔐 Inner Circle Mission Briefing: What If Wednesday

You’ve seen the scenario. You’ve trained the technique.

But the fight doesn’t always follow your plan.

Today, we’re diving into adaptive response training—exploring three tactical forks based on how the threat unfolds. In this video, I’ll walk you through each path:

  • Striking first

  • Controlling the weapon arm

  • Committing to the takedown

Then, we’ll show you exactly how to perform them with real-world adjustments and context.

Watch the breakdown. Think critically. And ask yourself:
Which path would you take—and could you teach it under pressure?

Inner Circle members get access to the full breakdown and demo video.
👉 Join the Inner Circle

✅ Before You Go...

Training isn’t just throwing strikes or hitting reps…

…it’s sharpening judgment under pressure.

Before you head out, take 60 seconds and answer this…

Which path felt most natural to you—and why?

Drop your thoughts in the Operators Lounge or hit reply—I’d love to hear what clicked for you…

…and what didn’t.

Stay ready,
– Paul Simoes

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