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Two wrestlers in a clinch, using over- and underhooks.

A grappling position (also referred to as the positioning of two combatants) refers the relative positions and holds of two combatants engaged in grappling. If combatants are standing, it is called a stand-up grappling position and if they are on the ground it is called a ground grappling position. A combatant is said to be in a dominant position if he or she is in favourable position compared to his or her opponent in terms of pinning, scoring points, submitting, striking, attempting a takedown or throwing. Note however that when a particular position such as the mount or bear hug is referred to as being a dominant position, it means that one of the combatants is in a dominant position. A combatant is said to be in a neutral position if none of the combatants is in a favourable position. A combatant is said to be in an inferior position if the other combatant is in a favourable position.

Also called clinch position, clinching position or standing grappling position, these are essential to clinch fighting. Two grapplers who are in any clinch position are referred to as being in a clinch. From a separated stand-up position, a clinch is the result of one or both grapplers applying a clinch hold, a process which is known as clinching or closing the distance. The process of attempting to advance into more dominant clinch positions is known as pummeling.

Not all combinations of clinch holds are referred to as grappling positions, but rather only the major types such as:

• Bear hug
• Collar-and-elbow position
• Double collar tie
• Double underhooks
• Pinch grip tie
• Over-under position

Side control as shown in a combatives manual.

Ground grappling positions are the fundaments of ground fighting. If one combatant is physically clearly on top, such as if he or she is pinning the other combatant to the ground, then that combatant is said to have the top position, while the other combatant is said to have the bottom position. The process of obtaining a particular position on the ground is referred to as positioning. A top position is usually dominant, but depending on the set of rules used, it can have notable exceptions such as the guard. The major ground grappling positions are considered to be:

• Back mount
• Guard
• Half guard
• Knee-on-stomach
• Mount
• North-south position
• Side control

• In an amateur wrestling match, the wrestlers are standing in a symmetrical position, with both wrestlers having a pinch grip tie on the other wrestler. The wrestlers are in a neutral position.
• In a Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling match, one grappler is holding the other grappler in an open guard. The open guard allows the bottom grappler to attempt a multitude of submission holds, while the top grapplers priority is to advance in position. The open guard is hence a dominant position. The bottom grappler is in a dominant position while the top grappler is in an inferior position.

• Grappling
• Grappling hold
• Ground fighting

Note that while a position may be considered dominant in one sport, that may not be the case in another. For example, the closed guard in BJJ may be dominant in terms of submission. However, in MMA where striking is allowed, the Guard still offers submission opportunities, but the man on top can still strike better than the one on the bottom. Hence this position becomes neutral in MMA.