On this week's Technique Tuesday, national champion Nico Megaludis breaks down his split the middle finishes — built on one idea: finishing isn't just technique, it's technique plus the will to fight through it. Megaludis was elite from this position at Penn State, and the difference between a finish and a stall is whether you're willing to suck it in and run it when you're tired. When a defensive guy beats the move — shoving his knees in, fighting with strong hips — Megaludis posts up to a super angle, sneaks the foot in, and drives over the hip while keeping his hand above the knee. The whole goal is getting the opponent's feet off the mat: one foot up and he can barely wrestle, both feet up, and he's done. From there, it's shoulder glued in, weight back on your toes, and a slide-and-pop into the Turk to fully extend him. This is how you stop dillydallying in the position and start finishing through the fight. You'll learn:
- Why finishing takes technique AND will — and why the technique alone fails the second you get tired
- How to beat strong hips and knees-in defense — post up to a "super angle" and drive over the hip
- The hand-position detail that decides the scramble — keep your hand above the knee so he can't fight it below
- Why getting both feet off the mat ends the match — the same crackdown principle that takes away his wrestling
- The finish: shoulder glued in, butt over your toes, then slide and "pop" into the Turk to extend him with no fight left
Finishes come down to leverage and will. This is how you put both together.
Time Stamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:12 - Technique + Will: Why Finishing Takes Both
00:01:34 - Beating Strong Hips: Post Up to a Super Angle
00:02:21 - Hand Above the Knee + Driving Over the Hip
00:02:53 - Getting Both Feet Off the Mat (the Crackdown Principle)
00:03:28 - Shoulder Glued In + Finishing With the Turk
00:04:43 - Butt Over Your Toes: Staying in Position
00:05:46 - Outro