you're welcome :)

definitely an awesome and beautiful throw there. ono was absolutely untouchable at the worlds, amazing to watch.

I know what you mean, and crossing the foot in the front or replacing the foot is what Ono definitely does more often. But when I looked into this I found several examples of him throwing it with the left foot going behind/to the outside. He does that far less often, but it works as well. I would say that mostly depends on your positioning relative to your uke. Nevertheless, when in doubt, I would also say go with replacing or front crossing the foot. Which is somewhat hard to always do for me because I was taught the exact opposite ^^

@@camaleaojudo2321 Hi there! Exactly. Anyway there is a huge difference between Ono and the rest of us :D :D Meaning i do not even try to go in front because i doubt i would put the foot in the right direction (except in a right/left situation) and the risk of a knee injury would be too big for me (but i am almost old and not an olympian lol)

Good point, I think crossing in front is very common. It makes it less likely to get countered with "sukashi", and also makes it more likely you'll more hip action into the throw, ie a bit more similar to hanegoshi, rather than having to finish the throw with a hopping "ken-ken" action.

ugo legrand's variation of a spinning uchi mata is entirely different. he often uses it against opposite side opponents, he doesn't swing his supporting leg around for momentum. instead, he spins around on his support leg to turn and uses his upper body for momentum.

@@camaleaojudo2321 you're absolutely right about the entry but the mechanics of the throw are the same. What Ono has done is absolute genius as he's taken the footwork of a competition seoi nage/tai otoshi (that spinning rear leg is insanely common for those throws) and stream lined a spinning uchi mata into one step. Ugo and everyone else usually provide a ton more movement and momentum before swapping feet and twisting in leaning away. Ono is insanely efficient energy wise, one of the most efficient ever. Plus his elbow is up just like the others for a power style uchi mata as he leans away.

it's not a strike, it's just a cue to use the wrist for kuzushi

exactly as leonard cota is saying, I am not actually punching my partner in the back of the head. I am not even touching the back of his head. It's just a mental image that helps putting my wrist in a strong position and initiates the kuzushi.

Just to add to what the other commentators are saying, a *lot* of judo-ka will have some fist contact on back of the head, sides of the face, or even underneath the chin (like some versions of kouchi gari). It's not just world champions. As long as you're not blatantly punching the opponent on purpose, and you're gripping the gi, it should be legal. You can also your palm, the front of your knuckles, the back of your fist, the inside of your forearm, or even your bicep (if you have a high grip or power grip). One of the good things about a traditional collar grip around the collar bone (as opposed to a behind-the-neck high grip, or an over-the-shoulder power grip) is that there is a lot of slack that allows your arm to check their arm as well as control their head. You can do this with a low grip too, although most people who like to grip low are looking more for seoi nage, a technique which doesn't benefit much from head control. Although you sacrifice posture control by gripping low, you have a lot of freedom to parry and block their arms, preventing them from getting a grip on you. That being said, I *have* seen Japanese judo-ka grip really low and use it to push the neck or head. One famous Japanese judo-ka, Tomoo Torii, likes to grab near the skirt of the gi and pull it up around the neck so he could use his fist to push the side of the jaw or neck for a driving osoto-gari and driving tai otoshi. Try to avoid striking them -- the idea is to use their head as a lever to control their body, you're not trying to catch them off guard with a surprise punch. Pulling or pushing the head is a longer, more powerful lever to control the body than just pushing or pulling on the shoulder. There's no need to hit them. Also, when pushing the neck or the jaw, try to avoid contact around their cheek or mouth, especially during randori. You might accidentally cut their cheeks or lips on their teeth if they don't have a mouth guard, which sucks for your training partner. Getting the positioning down takes a lot of practice and precision, so you have to practice first to ensure you're not punching people in their mouths during randori.