Single Leg from De La Riva Guard

Single Leg from De La Riva Guard is a sweep that puts the bottom player on top built around a handful of repeatable controls. Bottom player is seated in a De La Riva or single-leg-X style open guard, with hooks and grips engaged on the standing opponent's lead leg and sleeve. Another common starting shape: the bottom player is in De La Riva X but the opponent stays tall and refuses to break down to combat base. The ideas that hold it together are head position on single leg, elevation from seated guard, and chain from sweep to takedown.

The single leg chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Bail on the seated guard and elevate the hips while collecting the opponent's leg with both arms. Drive the head into the opponent's hip and step the back foot forward to establish a finishing stance on top. Maintain X-hook integrity and base out with one elbow. Climb up to the hand and then to the foot of the free leg. Hug the trapped leg tight to the chest. Drive forward or trip to finish the takedown. Use the X hooks to keep the leg trapped. Pull the lapel grip toward the chest to base out. Bottom player has reversed the position and arrives on top, typically in combat base, knee on belly, or an emerging top pass entry.

Later in the single leg, leg-hug, stand-up-ladder, and climb-the-ladder tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Leaving the head on the outside of the captured leg, which exposes the neck to a guillotine. Standing up without first off-balancing the opponent so the leg comes free without resistance. Letting the trapped leg drift away from the chest. Not climbing the post hand, which leaves the body low. The high-percentage version of single leg from de la riva guard is the one you can still chain when the top player posts or re-bases.