Leg Drag Pass
Pass
Also known as:
Leg Drag
The Leg Drag Pass involves controlling one of the opponent's legs and dragging it across your body to clear their hips, landing you in a dominant angle past the guard. It is one of the most versatile guard passes, applicable from nearly every open guard situation in both gi and no-gi.
Quick Reference
Key principles
- · Control the ankle or foot and drive the leg across your centerline toward the mat on the opposite side, pinning it against your hip.
- · Your chest and hip pressure must follow the drag immediately—space between dragging and advancing lets the opponent recover guard.
- · Angle your body toward the opponent's back rather than staying square, which both prevents re-guarding and sets up back takes.
- · Use your free hand to control the near-side hip or belt to block the opponent from turning into you or shrimping away.
- · Anticipate the opponent framing on your head or pummel-kicking to recover; staple their knee to the mat quickly to neutralize these counters.
Execution
- 1 Grip the opponent's ankle or pants cuff and pull their leg across your body to the opposite side of your hip while stepping your hips forward.
- 2 Pin the dragged leg against your hip using your near-side thigh and hand pressure, stapling their knee to the mat.
- 3 Immediately close distance by dropping your chest onto their torso at an angle, controlling the far hip or belt with your free hand.
- 4 Slide your near-side knee tight against their hip to block any shrimping, solidifying the leg drag position.
- 5 From the consolidated position, advance to side control, take the back, or transition to a smash pass depending on their reaction.
Common mistakes
- × Dragging the leg but staying upright and distant, giving the opponent time to re-pummel their feet and recover guard.
- × Failing to control the far-side hip after the drag, allowing the opponent to turn away and turtle or reguard easily.
- × Pinning the leg too loosely so the opponent can bicycle kick free; the knee must be stapled firmly to the mat with hip and hand pressure.
Do it from
Positions and situations where the Leg Drag Pass shows up.
Berimbolo Entry
transition
De La Riva Guard Top
Headquarters Position
Long Step Pass
pass
Open Guard Top
Reverse De La Riva Guard Top
Reverse Half Guard Top
Shin-to-shin Guard Top
Single Leg X Top
Standing Guard
Toreando Pass
pass
X-Guard Top
X-guard Sweep
sweep
12 less common
Butterfly Half Guard Top
Collar Sleeve Guard Top
Crab Ride
Double Sleeve Guard
Feet On Hips Guard
Half Guard Top
Leg Hook
Leg Weave
Reverse X-Guard
Seated Guard
Spider Guard Top
Squid Guard
Chains into
Where to go next when the Leg Drag Pass lands, or gets defended.
Where it lands
The position you end up in.
Back Control Top
Leg Drag Position
Common defenses
How opponents shut the Leg Drag Pass down.
Use it against
The Leg Drag Pass is an answer to these.
De La Riva Guard Bottom
Chains & Sequences
Commonly taught paths through the graph that feature this technique.
DLR X-Guard Leg Drag
Turtle Roll Through to Armbar
