X Guard To Top Saddle

Transitioning from X Guard to Top Saddle:

1. When your opponent switches to X guard, keep your legs wide and avoid placing your hands on the mat. Grab their heel with your hand.
2. Transfer your weight to your right leg and perform a front pummel, circling your leg inside your opponent's knee. This action should be forward, not backward.
3. Once you've cleared the X guard, you have an opportunity to attack their leg. Maintain your grip on their heel, grab their knee, and pinch your knees as you fall back. Your goal is to get your top leg inside.
4. Lock your legs together and secure a grip on your opponent's heel to begin the finishing process.
5. If your opponent starts to turn and hide their foot as you fall back, tuck your foot under their butt, come up, and turn your leg to tackle their hips. Place one hand on their hip and the other on their wrist.
6. Double up on the wrist to break them down, then bring your hand over their shoulder while keeping a grip on the bottom wrist. This allows you to slide around and take your opponent's back, trapping their arm in the process.

If your opponent is more savvy and manages to hide their foot as you fall back, you can still transition to a dominant position:

1. Turn your leg, post up, and tackle their hips. Grab their wrist.
2. Feed their wrist so you have two hands on it, then bring them down to the mat. Keep your top hand in place while your other hand comes over their shoulder.
3. Slide around to their back. Because you have control of their arm, you can immediately throw your leg over, trap their arm, and secure a dominant position.