Two Pathways To The Back: Andrew Tackett vs Tommy Langaker WNO Preview

These two elite 170lb athletes have risen to the top of the field by chasing the back - but do it in two very different ways.

May 7, 2024 by Joe Gilpin

Two Pathways To The Back: Andrew Tackett vs Tommy Langaker WNO Preview

On May 10th at WNO 23: Meregali vs Rocha, two of the best back attackers in the world will square off in the co-main event. Tommy Langaker and Andrew Tackett are slated for 15 minutes of action and considered their styles and record in competition, fans are rightfully expecting a serious scrap between two of the best athletes in the world.

This match originally started as a welterweight title bout between Mica Galvao and Tommy, until an injury forced Mica's withdrawal and Andrew stepped in as a replacement. Tommy has accepted the change of opponent, and he is coming into the match with a point to prove. Andrew has previously earned a title shot at WNO 20 but was unable to cash in on that opportunity, so a win for either man firmly establishes them as the number one contender in this division.

Beyond that, this match will have big implications on the ADCC World Championships. Both Andrew & Tommy won a Trials at -77kg to earn a spot at this year's ADCC Worlds, and both are in contention to medal at the event. If one man is able to make a statement here, they not only give themselves valuable momentum but they also important seeding for their eventual bracket.

What's stylistically interesting here is that both athletes approach the match with the same goal, to get to the back and finish from there, but they have two totally different methods of getting there.

Tommy's path to the back comes from the guard, a remnant of his old gi game. Tommy can wrestle and pass, but he is at his best playing guard. His best work is using the reverse De La Riva and K-guard to invert under his opponent and into the crab ride. From the crab ride, he is maybe the best in the world at any weight at climbing up to the back and sinking that control in. He's been on an incredible heater with this style since his no-gi commitment, with gold at the ADCC European Trials and IBJJF No-Gi Worlds to go along with very quality wins & performances.

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Tommy's incredible lower body flexibility and dexterity is key to this style - he has to keep tons of tension running through his legs to keep opponents hooked into the crab ride without gi grips. For most, it's a position where opponents are able to wriggle free. Tommy is so excellent at this series from years of experience that he is uniquely able to turn those inversions into back control.

Andrew, by contrast, is rarely playing guard in competition. Rather, he is a very capable wrestler and guard passer who stands out from the pack with remarkable pace and scrappiness. He gets opponents to wilt with technical offense at a speed that people just can't keep up with - until he can find his way to the back.

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Usually it's happening through his wrestling or passing, and often from combination offense. Andrew will get to a single leg or body lock, then as his opponent defends and balances, he will whip around to a rear body lock. From there, he uses his mat returns to wrestle them down and places the hooks. From top, he's a combination passer who switches sides and grips often as he tries to buzzsaw through the guard. If his opponent turtles - or he can outflank them with side-to-side movement - then he's quick to hop on the back. If they don't, he's capable of attacking from mount or side control but the focus is always on getting to the back for Tackett.

How will they match up on May 10th? We can reasonably accept that Tommy will pull immediately and start to get to work, and Andrew will play from top. From there, a huge portion of this match will be decided by who is able to get closer to the dominant back position with their game.