How to use controls in EA SPORTS™ UFC® 4

How to touch gloves

Two fighters touching gloves in the Octagon.

Before you start fighting your opponent, you can show your respect to them by touching gloves.Here’s how.

PlayStation 4: hold L2
Xbox One: hold LT

Watch out: if your opponent doesn’t hold out their hand to touch gloves, they may be trying to catch you off-guard for an opening attack.

How to strike

A fighter striking his opponent in the Octagon.

Striking is fighting while standing. It’s the most preferred style of fighting across all mixed martial arts.Here’s how to perform the most common strikes.Lead Jab

PlayStation 4: Square
Xbox One: X

Back Cross

PlayStation 4: Triangle
Xbox One: Y

Lead Leg Kick

PlayStation 4: X
Xbox One: A

Back Leg Kick

PlayStation 4: Circle
Xbox One: B

How to uppercut

Lead uppercut

PlayStation 4: Square + X
Xbox One: X + A

Back uppercut

PlayStation 4: Triangle + Circle
Xbox One: Y + B

How to defend against striking

There are two main moves used to defend against striking.High Block

PlayStation 4: R2
Xbox One: RT

Low Block or Leg Catch

PlayStation 4: L2 + R2
Xbox One: LT + RT

How to clinch

Clinching is when both fighters grab hold of one another while standing. It’s useful for catching your opponent off-guard and transitioning into other moves. Here’s how to initiate a clinch.

PlayStation 4: R1 + Square
Xbox One: RB + X

From here, you can transition to the other clinch positions by pressing R1 + Triangle on PlayStation 4 or RB + Y on Xbox One. Once you’ve assumed your preferred clinch position, you can transition to a number of moves, like takedowns and submissions.

How to escape a clinch

To escape a clinch on both consoles, flick the left analog stick on your controller to the left.

How to perform takedowns

A fighter lifting his opponent by the waist to perform a takedown in the Octoagon.

Takedowns are a great way to cause some serious damage and break your opponent’s momentum.There are many ways to take down your opponent, but the two essential ones are:Single Leg Takedown

PlayStation 4: hold L2 + Square
Xbox One: hold LT + X

Double Leg Takedown

PlayStation 4: hold L2 + Triangle
Xbox One: hold LT + Y

How to defend against a takedown

If your opponent is attempting to take you down, use the below controls to defend against it.

PlayStation 4: L2 + R2
Xbox One: LT + RT

Defending against a takedown usually results in both fighters ending up in a clinch.

How to perform submissions

You can use submissions to make your opponent tap out or even put them to sleep, resulting in immediate victory.If you're using a submission, you have to control the red bar (your bar) and hover it over the blue bar (your opponent’s) to submit them. The longer your bar covers theirs, the more your Submission Meter fills up.Keep in mind that the controls here are pressure-sensitive, so press lightly.Joint submissionUse the below controls to perform a joint submission.

PlayStation 4: L2 + R2
Xbox One: LT + RT

Choke submissionUse the left analog stick on both consoles to perform a choke submission.

How to escape a submission

Use the same controls for either submission to move away from the red bar, which is now your opponent’s bar.

How to strike while in a submission

Whether you’re in a submission or attempting one yourself, you can strike with any of the four color buttons on your controller as they appear on-screen.

PlayStation 4: Triangle, O, X, Square
Xbox One: Y, B, A, X

Striking during a submission will further boost your bar and help you either escape or complete the submission.

Want to learn more moves?

You can find more tips and tricks on ea.com and level up your gameplay.