Half Guard Pass to Side Control (Intermediate)

Professor Lucas Lepri explains how to pass an opponent’s half guard by applying a knee cut to side control. The situation begins with Lucas in the opponent’s half guard with no grips. Clubbing the head, Lucas reaches down the back before flattening his opponent and applying pressure with his shoulder. To prevent the opponent from using his frame to push his body up and create space, he uses his hand to push the elbow open and frames his elbow against the opponent’s body. Once the elbow has opened enough, Lucas posts his head under his opponent’s arm and releases the elbow and posts the hand on the floor. He then uses that same hand and elbow to push the opponent’s hip and knee down as he raises his hips to pull his knee out of the half guard. Lucas then lifts his hips to apply a knee cut, finishing in the side control position. If the opponent traps Lucas’ foot by crossing his feet after Lucas escapes the knee, there are two options. Lucas shows how to increase the shoulder pressure until the opponent’s feet uncross. If the opponent does not release, he uses his other foot to kick his opponent’s knee to complete the pass.