Butterfly Guard (Top)

Question 1

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[NO-GI - TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard into side control when opponent has both underhooks and has lifted you into the air

Answer 1

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard with both underhooks in place and has lifted you up for a sweep/throw, quickly switch the direction of your hips so you are facing to the left or the right (pick one).
2. When you twist your hips, your lower knee should end up behind your opponent’s leg so you can crush their legs together. If it is too difficult to turn, you can post your hand on their leg to push it inward as you twist to help.
3. Once you’ve twisted and landed on your opponent’s leg, reach for the cross-face with your upper arm and step over into side control.

Option: If your opponent defends the cross-face by shoving you away to prevent you from getting side control, simply switch to the other side. Keep smashing their legs together, step over their legs in the other direction and take side control on the opposite side or even try and get their back.

Question 2

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard via ‘leg wave’ to opposite side control or back take

Answer 2

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard, use your arms to squeeze their legs together and raise your torso so you are free from their legs. Immediately press both their legs to one side and slam your chest down on top of their upper leg to pin them in place. Your head should be tucked on your opponent’s belly/chest.
2. With the hand on the side your opponent’s butt is facing, grab the back of their gi (or belt, or whatever you can grab).
3. In the same motion, step forward with the leg on the side your opponent’s knees are facing and plant your foot on the floor (still bearing your full weight down on your opponent’s legs) while reaching with your free hand to control your opponent’s same-side elbow and bring their arm in. Try and get a grip on the outside of their arm.
4. If you have successfully smashed your opponent’s legs together and they can’t shrimp away, lift the leg you just stepped forward with and slide it back over your opponent’s folded legs (your shin should be pinning their calves down).
5. Once your opponent’s legs are pinned, use your leg on the same side as their butt to step forward towards their exposed back. Keep your chest low and pivot over your opponent so you end up behind them.
6. If you want to end up in side control, keep control of your opponent’s far-side elbow so they come with you and end up with their back on the floor and you in side control. If you want to take their back, release that arm to give them space to turn so you can snap on the seatbelt and take the back.

Question 3

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard via knee slice to side control (on the same side)

Answer 3

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard, use your arms to squeeze their legs together and raise your torso so you are free from their legs. Immediately press both their legs to one side and slam your chest down on top of their upper leg to pin them in place. Your head should be tucked on your opponent’s belly/chest.
2. With the hand on the side your opponent’s butt is facing, grab the back of their gi (or belt, or whatever you can grab).
3. In the same motion, step forward with the leg on the side your opponent’s knees are facing and plant your foot on the floor (still bearing your full weight down on your opponent’s legs) while reaching with your free hand to control your opponent’s same-side elbow and bring their arm in. Try and get a grip on the outside of their arm.
4. If your opponent starts hooking the leg you just stepped up with and you cannot leg wave, raise your body upward and make space for your other leg to come up and do a knee slice over their hips. Once your knee hits the floor in front of their torso, keep pushing forward until your leg is fully extended above their head and the top of your thigh is flush against their body so they don’t have space to move.
5. Keep a tight grip on your opponent’s elbow and pull it upward (to expose the back of their shoulder) while using your extended leg to also push their body to the opposite side, creating space for you to switch your base and plant your opposite knee under your opponent’s shoulder and get into a tight side control. Your knee should be planted under their shoulder and your shin running parallel to their torso to give them no space to wiggle away.

Question 4

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard into mount

Answer 4

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard, use your arms to squeeze their legs together and raise your torso so you are free from their legs. Immediately press both their legs to one side and slam your chest down on top of their upper leg to pin them in place. Your head should be tucked on your opponent’s belly/chest.
2. With the hand on the side your opponent’s butt is facing, grab the back of their gi (or belt, or whatever you can grab).
3. In the same motion, step forward with the leg on the side your opponent’s knees are facing and plant your foot on the floor (still bearing your full weight down on your opponent’s legs) while reaching with your free hand to control your opponent’s same-side elbow and bring their arm in. Try and get a grip on the outside of their arm.
4. If your opponent is opening their legs, trying to lift you up, take advantage of this and slide your back knee between your opponent’s thighs.
5. Once your knee hits the floor, keep pressure on the top of their thighs so they can’t get away and use your elbow grip to pull your opponent’s shoulder up off the ground and long-step with your initial leg you stepped forward with to land with your knee under their shoulder.
6. Once you have established your base under their shoulder, pull your remaining leg upward and directly into high mount.

Question 5

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard into side control on same side using over/under grip and horse-kick to step over the legs

Answer 5

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard, establish an over-under grip on their legs. One arm should go underneath one of their thighs and up their back to grip their belt. Your other arm should go over their other thigh and wrap around to grip the bottom of their shin (your pinky should be facing the sky).
2. Once your grips are established, apply heavy pressure with your shoulder on the ‘under’ grip side. You should drive your shoulder down into your opponent while raising your hips up into the ‘pike’ position.
3. Keeping a tight grip on your opponent’s shin so they can’t kick out and snag your leg, step over their bottom leg with your nearest leg and then do a horse-kick to get your other leg over. Note that if your opponent has long legs, you may need to jump to clear their legs rather than just horse kick.
4. When you clear your opponent’s legs, you should land with your trailing knee planting right by your opponent’s hip (give them no space to wiggle free). You can then let go over your under grip and go for the cross-face grip on your opponent’s neck. Note that your first leg should be on the floor, parallel with your opponent’s torso so they have no space to move which will allow you to set up a tighter side control or prepare to transition to mount.

Question 6

[BUTTERFLY GUARD - TOP]
[TRANSITION]
Passing butterfly guard into side control on opposite side using over/under grip and horse-kick to step over the legs (if your opponent is defending by pressing your neck)

Answer 6

1. If your opponent has you in their butterfly guard, establish an over-under grip on their legs. One arm should go underneath one of their thighs and up their back to grip their belt. Your other arm should go over their other thigh and wrap around to grip the bottom of their shin (your pinky should be facing the sky).
2. Once your grips are established, apply heavy pressure with your shoulder on the ‘under’ grip side. You should drive your shoulder down into your opponent while raising your hips up into the ‘pike’ position.
3. Keeping a tight grip on your opponent’s shin so they can’t kick out and snag your leg, step over their bottom leg with your nearest leg and then do a horse-kick to get your other leg over.
4. If your opponent is defending and either not letting you pass by using their longer legs or pressing hard on your neck, transition to side control on the opposite side. First release your grip on their belt and climb your hand higher to get a grip on your opponent’s lapel.
5. Drive your shoulder into your opponent while pulling on the collar and doing a ‘long step’ to transition your weight to the opposite side while still smashing your opponent’s thigh against them. Do not prematurely remove your head, this will naturally come out as you move to the opposite side control.