Closed Guard in MMA

Guard control from the bottom w/ strikes in mind. Reading posture & weight, then timing sweeps & submissions around their pressure.

Flow outline

  1. Closed Guard

    • Your home base on ground—lock those legs tight and control distance. From here, you're safe from ground and pound while setting up your attacks. Keep your hips active and your grips ready to shut down their posture. Pay attention to posture

  2. Cross Collar Choke

    • Once set, deep collar grip, thumb in, and squeeze like you're cutting off their air against cage. isn't just a submission—it's a threat that makes them panic and open up for other attacks. don’t force it

  3. Arm Bar

    • Quick note: Isolate that arm, swing your leg over their face, and extend. In MMA, is a fight-ender—once you lock it in, they're tapping or getting their elbow popped

  4. Kimura

    • If they frame, grab that wrist, lock figure-four, and torque. from guard, is a brutal control position that can lead to tap or set up sweeps when they defend

  5. Omoplata

    • Wrap that leg over their shoulder and crank shoulder lock. If they roll, you're coming up on top—perfect for MMA where position means everything

  6. Hip Bump Sweep

    • They lean in? Bump those hips and dump them to side. sweep works when they're too heavy on you, looking to pass or land strikes. Don’t force it

  7. Omoplata Sweep To Side Control

    • Finish omoplata sweep and immediately establish side control. In a fight, is where you start dropping elbows—control position, then punish. Timing over strength

  8. Triangle

    • From here, lock those legs around their neck and arm, squeeze and adjust. from guard, is a high-percentage finish that shuts down their offense completely. switch if it stalls

  9. Scissor Sweep 1

    • Basic scissor motion—off-balance them and sweep to side. Sets up your top game when they're trying to posture up

  10. Scissor Sweep 2

    • If it shows up, They widen? Kick out that leg and complete sweep. is about adapting to their defense and keeping pressure on. Timing over strength

  11. Scissor Sweep 3

    • Once set, elevator sweep—use your legs to lift and dump them. when they lower their base, is your answer to get on top

  12. Hip Bump Sweep

    • If they frame, if it shows up, same hip bump, different setup—when they overreact backwards, capitalize and take top

  13. Gravel Face Sweep

    • Once set, usually they lean forward? use that momentum to sweep them face-first. in mma, can stun them and give you top position

  14. V Sweep

    • From no posture, use V-sweep to off-balance and come up. Quick and effective when they're trying to settle in your guard

  15. Hook Sweep 1

    • Key detail: hook that leg and sweep when they stand one leg up. disrupt their balance and take them down

  16. Hook Sweep 2

    • When it happens, They lower their butt? Adjust hook and complete sweep. Always be ready to chain your attacks. Angle matters

  17. Double Ankle Sweep

    • Once set, most of the time when their weight is too far back, grab both ankles and dump them. sets you up for top control or a pass

  18. Tomoe Nage

    • Once set, from here, they're too far forward? use sacrifice throw to launch them over. in mma, can create scrambling opportunities. pay attention to posture

  19. Single Ankle Sweep

    • Good weight distribution? Attack one ankle and sweep. Keeps them guessing and opens up other attacks. Don’t force it

  20. Transition To De La Hiva

    • from good weight distribution, transition to de la hiva guard. sets up a whole new game of sweeps and submissions

  21. Arm Bar

    • From here, When they're pushing on you, attack arm bar. Isolate that limb and finish—no room for error in a fight

  22. Triangle

    • Key detail: most of the time they pull arm out? transition to triangle. chain those submissions together to keep them defending. switch if it stalls

Branch conditions