De La Riva Guard

Position

Also known as:

DLR DLR Guard

De La Riva guard is the open guard built on one signature hook: your outside leg wraps around the opponent's lead leg, foot hooking behind their thigh or hip. Named for Ricardo De La Riva, who developed it in Rio's Carlson Gracie academy in the 1980s, it became the defining guard of modern gi competition and the launchpad for the berimbolo era.

What is De La Riva guard?

When an opponent stands with one foot forward to pass, the DLR player wraps that lead leg from the outside, hooking deep behind the knee or thigh. Combined with an ankle grip on the same leg and a sleeve or collar grip up top, the hook gives the bottom grappler startling control over the opponent's base: their lead leg can be steered, their hips turned, and their weight tipped in any direction.

The genius of the position is that it attacks the very stance passers want to take. Standing with a staggered lead leg is how most grapplers approach open guard, and De La Riva turns that stance into a handle.

The modern engine: back takes

Classic DLR play sweeps the opponent over their controlled leg. The modern game goes further: by inverting under the opponent, the DLR player spins to the back. The berimbolo, popularized by the Mendes brothers and the Miyao brothers, converted this guard from a sweeping position into a back-taking machine and reshaped competitive jiu-jitsu around it. Kiss-of-the-dragon spins from the reverse variation reach the back through the other door.

None of that requires inverting to be useful. Simple DLR sweeps against kneeling and standing opponents remain high percentage at every level, and the hook's control makes retention against passing pressure exceptional.

Why it matters

For a competitive gi grappler, De La Riva literacy is not optional: you will play it, or you will pass against it, usually both in the same match. Its answers shaped an entire generation of passing systems, from the knee cut (which enters by stepping the lead leg inside, denying the hook) to leg weaves and backsteps built specifically to survive DLR entanglements.

Gi and no-gi

DLR is strongest in the gi, where the ankle grip and collar or sleeve controls complete the structure. In no-gi the hook still works, but without fabric the ankle control weakens, so no-gi players usually convert DLR moments quickly into single leg X, K-guard, or wrestle-up attacks rather than holding the position.

Where to start

Get comfortable with the hook and ankle grip against a standing opponent, and learn one sweep toward each direction: tipping them backward over the trapped heel, and tripping them forward when they pressure in. Once balance-breaking feels natural, the deeper doors, berimbolo, back takes, and the reverse DLR game, are mapped on this page and its related positions.

Quick Reference

Key principles

· The DLR hook must wrap deeply around the opponent's lead leg with your instep controlling the inner thigh to maximize leverage.
· Controlling at least one grip on the opponent's sleeve or ankle on the hooked side prevents them from disengaging or passing.
· Constant hip angle and distance management keeps the opponent's weight directed over their hooked leg, making them vulnerable to sweeps.
· The non-hooking foot stays active on the opponent's hip, bicep, or opposite knee to frame and create additional off-balancing pressure.
· Anticipate the opponent stepping back or trying to strip the hook by maintaining tension through your legs and immediately re-engaging grips.

Execution

1 From open guard, establish a collar or sleeve grip and place your outside foot on the opponent's lead hip as they stand or posture.
2 Thread your hooking leg around the outside of the opponent's lead leg, curling your foot to the inside of their far thigh with your instep.
3 Secure a same-side ankle or pants grip on the hooked leg to anchor their base and prevent retreat.
4 Use your non-hooking foot on their hip or far knee to control distance and angle your hips off-center.
5 Maintain constant pulling tension with the hook and grips to keep their weight loaded over the trapped leg, setting up sweeps or transitions.

Common mistakes

× Hooking too shallow with only the toes instead of threading the leg deep results in the opponent easily stripping the hook and passing.
× Lying flat on your back instead of angling your hips laterally removes your sweeping leverage and makes you vulnerable to guard passes.
× Neglecting the ankle or pants grip on the hooked leg allows the opponent to simply step back and disengage the guard entirely.

From the bottom

What the bottom grappler is working toward from De La Riva Guard.

Berimbolo Entry transition De La Riva Sweep sweep De La Riva To X-guard Transition transition Kiss Of The Dragon transition Single Leg X Entry transition

15 less common

Balloon Sweep sweep Crab Ride To Back transition De La Riva To Shin-to-shin transition De La Riva To Spider Guard transition K-Guard Entry From De La Riva Guard transition Omoplata From Guard submission Outside Ashi Entry transition Straight Ankle Lock submission Triangle From De La Riva submission Waiter Sweep sweep Caio Terra Footlock submission Inside Heel Hook submission Omoplata submission Rolling Armbar submission Triangle From Guard submission

On top

The top grappler's options against De La Riva Guard.

Knee Cut Pass pass Leg Drag Pass pass Toreando Pass pass

9 less common

Double Leg Takedown takedown Long Step Pass pass Rdlr Pass pass Saddle Entry From Top transition Single Leg Entry takedown Smash Pass pass Stack Pass pass X-Pass pass Estima Lock submission

How you get here

Techniques that land in De La Riva Guard.

Collar Sleeve To De La Riva Guard transition Lasso To De La Riva Guard transition Open Guard To De La Riva transition

Chains & Sequences

Commonly taught paths through the graph that feature this technique.

DLR Berimbolo Back Take

De La Riva Guard Berimbolo Entry Back Control

DLR Pass to Americana

De La Riva Guard Knee Cut Pass Mount Americana Lock

DLR Pass to North South Choke

De La Riva Guard North-South North South Choke

DLR Crab Ride to Back

De La Riva Guard Crab Ride Back Control

DLR X-Guard Leg Drag

De La Riva Guard X-Guard Leg Drag Pass

Shin-to-Shin Back Take

De La Riva Guard Shin-to-shin Guard Back Control

De La Riva Guard

What is De La Riva guard? What is De La Riva guard?

The modern engine: back takes The modern engine: back takes

Why it matters Why it matters

Gi and no-gi Gi and no-gi

Where to start Where to start