Toreando Pass from Guard Passing

Toreando Pass from Guard Passing is a passing sequence that clears the legs built around a handful of repeatable controls. Passer is standing in front of a seated partner with grips on the pant cuffs. Another common starting shape: standing pass posture with grips on the ends of the gi pants (or shins in no-gi), elbows in, posture good. The ideas that hold it together are passing tempo, hip-to-hip pressure, and one-two-footwork.

The toreando pass chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Pin the legs to the mat with extended arms. Cut a wide angle around the legs. Arrive in side control with chest-on-chest pressure. Grip toward the ends of the pants rather than at the knees so the opponent cannot circle the feet inside. Stiff-arm the lead grip and use a one-two step (back foot to lead foot, lead foot wide) to drive a ninety-degree angle and turn the hips away. Cup the front of the knee with the other hand once the hips are facing away. Step back in with a one-two step, planting the knee against the pinned hip to set the leg drag. If the opponent high pummels, switch to crowding and stacking with the knee on the back of the knee to enter the drag from a stack instead. Passer pushes the legs to one side, sprints around to side control before the partner can recover the guard.

Later in the toreando pass, grip-the-pant-ends, knee-pin-on-return, and angle creation precedes passing tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Circling too slowly. Releasing the cuff grips before reaching side control. Gripping at the knees, allowing the feet to circle inside the grip. Forcing the leg drag when the opponent's hips remain square; switch to a bullfighter finish instead. The high-percentage version of toreando pass from guard passing is the one you can still chain when the bottom player recovers a hook.