Reverse Half Guard Pass To Side Control

Pass

The Reverse Half Guard Pass To Side Control is used when you are in reverse half guard top (facing your opponent's legs) and need to free your trapped leg to complete the pass to side control. This pass leverages hip pressure and leg extraction techniques while your orientation makes it difficult for the bottom player to use standard half guard retention frames.

Quick Reference

Key principles

  • · Keep heavy hip pressure on the opponent's torso to limit their ability to reguard or create scrambles.
  • · Use a crossface or underhook control on the far hip to prevent them from turning into you during the pass.
  • · Extract the trapped leg by straightening it and applying a prying motion against the opponent's inside knee.
  • · Anticipate the opponent attempting to take your back by maintaining chest-to-hip connection as you transition to side control.
  • · Redirect your body 180 degrees efficiently so you settle into proper side control without leaving space.

Execution

  1. 1 From reverse half guard top, establish firm hip pressure and control the opponent's far hip or belt line with your hands to pin them flat.
  2. 2 Straighten your trapped leg and use your free leg's knee to pry against the opponent's top knee, wedging their half guard open.
  3. 3 Once your leg clears, immediately backstep or hip-switch to rotate your body 180 degrees toward the opponent's head.
  4. 4 As you rotate, slide your near arm under their head for a crossface and secure an underhook on the far side.
  5. 5 Settle into side control with chest-to-chest pressure, blocking their hip with your near knee and sprawling your legs back.

Common mistakes

  • × Lifting hips to try to yank the leg free instead of using a prying wedge, which creates space for the opponent to recover guard or initiate a scramble.
  • × Failing to rotate toward the opponent's head immediately after freeing the leg, allowing them to turn away and turtle or reguard.
  • × Neglecting far hip control while in reverse position, giving the opponent the ability to shrimp out and take the back.

Do it from

Positions and situations where the Reverse Half Guard Pass To Side Control shows up.

Reverse Half Guard Top

Where it lands

The position you end up in.

Side Control Top

Use it against

The Reverse Half Guard Pass To Side Control is an answer to these.

Reverse Half Guard Bottom