Passing the Guard in Mixed Martial Arts

Nowadays I train all no gi and it's always interesting to notice the differences among sport bjj, no gi, and MMA training, techniques, and strategy. One area that has been standing out in my mind is passing the guard. Fighters who train a lot in Brazilian jiu jitsu or submission wrestling have to remember that what works in the grappling arena does not necessarily work in MMA. I want to cover some points that should be, in my opinion, fundamental knowledge when it comes to passing the guard in MMA.

Guard passing is not simple as many of you already know--especially when you face someone with a great guard. Passing requires a number of basic steps. If your opponent has you in closed guard, then you first have to open his legs. When your opponent's legs are open, you usually have to establish some sort of hip or leg control. Once this is done, then you fight to pass over, under or around a person's legs.

A simple and effective way to open an opponent's guard is to punch, either on your knees or on your feet. Most guard fighters who are getting hit will open their legs to push you away or reposition themselves so they can better defend against strikes. Another way to open a person's guard is to pry an opponent's legs open using your hands, elbows or knees (any typical BJJ guard opening technique). However, this method is usually difficult in MMA because there aren’t many secure grips available without a gi.

Once your opponent's legs are open you don’t want to give him any offensive options. Standing up is a great way to prevent the person from getting you in closed guard again and protects you from arm bars and chokes. If you do stand, you have to pay attention to the distance between you and your opponent--too far away and you give him the opportunity to stand up, too close and you may get kicked in the face. Securing your opponent's feet or shins with your hands after opening the guard, while standing, is a good way to limit your opponent's movement and protect yourself from kicks. Make sure to always watch out for leg or foot locks when you're passing, too.

When you have established control over the legs or hips you can start your guard pass. Basically, there are three ways to pass: over, under or around his legs. In MMA, fighters generally pass over or around the legs. Passing under a person's legs works well in grappling but hardly happens is MMA because these passes are typically slow and require a lot forward pressure and secure grips. When you and/or your opponent are slippery and striking each other, passing under the legs can be difficult. The passes can and still do work, but it's good to know that over and around the leg passes seem to be more effective.

Remember that MMA is not grappling. When you pass, don't forget to mix in some solid strikes. This will keep your opponent on the "defensive" and can keep him guessing. When it's time to pass, make sure you put 100% of your energy into it because speed and strength are vital for most MMA guard passes.

Once you've passed your opponent's guard, don't be too eager to strike or submit your opponent because you will probably make a mistake that allows your opponent to escape. Make sure you've secured your guard pass and the top position. When you have stabilized your position, now you can work your offense.

When you're training MMA, try to keep these few points in mind when passing the guard.

On another note, taught class last night and took some footage of the sparring. Shoulder is still painful and feeling real "heavy." It's beginning to really mess with all my training routines. Anyway, here's a short clip from sparring last night.

Tags: guard passing, mixed martial arts, philippines, brazilian jiu jitsu, sparring