Armbar from Reverse De La Riva

Armbar from Reverse De La Riva is a finishing attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. The RDLR player has standard control but switches the near-side grip to a cross tricep behind the elbow. Another common starting shape: the bottom player has a Reverse De La Riva hook on the inside of the opponent's lead leg, opponent committing to a knee-cut pass with the trailing arm posted. The ideas that hold it together are cross-side surprise, tricep grip, and elbow over shoulder for leverage.

The armbar chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Switch the near grip to a cross tricep behind the elbow. Move the RDLR hook to the near hip to free the body. Slide the hips all the way to the far side, trapping the arm under the armpit. Adjust the grip from shoulder down to the elbow for finishing leverage. Use the RDLR hook to load the opponent's hip and stall the knee-cut. Trap the posted wrist as the opponent commits weight to the pass. Spin underneath, threading the free leg over the head. Recross feet and finish toward the legs. The RDLR player has moved the hook to the near hip, slid the body all the way to the far side via the tricep grip, trapped the far arm under the armpit and finished the armbar by sliding from shoulder down to elbow as the opponent extends.

Later in the armbar, spin under, trap the post, and rDLR posture forcing tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Trying to finish too high on the shoulder where leverage is weak. Letting the opponent get a collar grip from RDLR, which kills the attack. The high-percentage version of armbar from reverse de la riva is the one you can still chain when the first squeeze is defended.