The basic Americana (or upwards figure-four) is one of the first submissions often taught in the traditional BJJ dojo. It's a great armlock for beginners: it's quite simple to put together, doesn't require too much touch sensitivity and doesn't require risking your hard-fought position to get the tap.

But it can also be a very effective finishing tool when the fundamentals are applied properly. Here we explore options to set this up from the mount position in an MMA or BJJ context.