Closed Guard in MMA

Controlling the fight from the bottom. Turning defense into offense w/ strikes always in the picture.

Flow outline

  1. Closed Guard

    • If it shows up, You're on your back, legs locked around their waist. Control the distance, watch for their posture, and set up your attacks. Keep them close to shut down their ground and pound. Timing beats strength

  2. Top Mount

    • Most of the time You're on top, chest to chest, controlling their hips. is where you rain down strikes or hunt for submissions. keep pressure to keep them pinned against the cage. Switch if it stalls

  3. Triangle Choke

    • Once set, usually lock your legs around their neck and arm, squeeze to cut off the blood flow. control their posture to prevent them from posturing up and escaping

  4. Williams Guard

    • Key detail: a high guard variation where you control their posture with your legs. use it to set up submissions or sweeps when they're trying to posture up

  5. Scissor Sweep

    • use your legs like scissors to sweep them to the side. control their arm and hip to off-balance them and take top position. angle matters

  6. Armbar

    • If they frame, most of the time isolate their arm, extend it, and hyperextend the elbow. control their posture to prevent them from stacking you against the cage

  7. Pendulum Sweep

    • Use a pendulum motion with your legs to sweep them over. Control their base and off-balance them to take top position. Switch if it stalls

  8. Front Sweep

    • Once set, from here, sweep them forward when they stand with bad posture. use their momentum against them to take top control. switch if it stalls

  9. Kimura

    • lock their arm behind their back, apply pressure to the shoulder. control their posture to finish the submission or transition to a better position

  10. Triangle Choke Variation

    • If it shows up, A variation of the triangle choke, often used when you have an overhook. Adjust the angle and pressure to finish the choke. Don’t force it

  11. Brabo Hold

    • Once set, usually control their head and arm with a grip, setting up chokes or transitions. use it to dominate from the guard

  12. Reverse Brabo Choke

    • if it shows up, a choke variation from the brabo hold. apply pressure to the neck to finish the submission

  13. Top Mount

    • most of the time you're on top, chest to chest, controlling their hips. is where you rain down strikes or hunt for submissions. keep pressure to keep them pinned

  14. Arm Drag Attack Series

    • From here, drag their arm across your body to off-balance them and create openings for back takes or sweeps. control their posture to prevent counters

  15. Back Take Attempt

    • Once set, you're working to take their back, controlling their hips and shoulders. stay tight to avoid strikes and secure the position. don’t force it

  16. Arm Drag To Back Take

    • Once set, use an arm drag to spin to their back. control their posture and hips to secure the back mount

  17. S-Mount

    • Key detail: most of the time a high mount variation where you sit up for better control. use it to attack with strikes or submissions

  18. Continue Back Take

    • Often You're securing the back mount, controlling their hips and shoulders. Stay tight to finish the submission or control the position

Branch conditions