Wrestle-Up Single Leg
Sweep · Half Guard
From the half guard dogfight, both of you on your knees, this takes you from bottom to a takedown finish on top. The moment is when the opponent pulls his hips back to stop you coming up. Keep the underhook deep and your head up and inside on his chest; with your free arm reach for his near leg and hug it to your chest, a knee under you so you can drive. If he stays on his knees, post your outside foot. Drive forward through him, not up, and turn the corner toward the hugged leg so he falls on his side; stand only once he is down. A head outside opens a guillotine, and lifting gives him room to sprawl. If he whizzers, take the back from the dogfight; if he sprawls, you are back in half guard.
How to do it
- From the dogfight, both of you on your knees, keep the underhook deep and your head on their chest, inside.
- When they pull their hips back, reach for the near leg with your free arm while the underhook keeps their upper body turned.
- Hug the leg to your chest, still on your knees, keeping a knee under you so you can drive. Keep the underhook until the leg is tight to your chest.
- If they stay on their knees, post your outside foot and drive through toward their outside leg.
- Finish: drive forward through them, not up, and turn the corner toward the hugged leg so they fall on their side; stand only after they are down.
Key details
- Head up and inside, against their chest: outside, the neck is open to a guillotine.
- Keep your knee under you so you have something to drive with.
- Drive forward through them, not up: lifting gives them space to sprawl.
- The dogfight is wrestling on your knees: expect a scramble and keep the underhook through it.
- Once the leg is between your legs, keep your head on their hip and a hand low near the heel: that makes the leg very hard to pull back out.
Common mistakes
- Letting the underhook go. — They crossface you and flatten you back into half guard. — Keep the underhook until the leg is hugged to your chest.
- Head outside their body. — The neck is exposed to a guillotine. — Keep your ear on their chest, inside.
- Standing up too soon. — Standing without the leg secured lets them sprawl on you. — Finish from your knees, then stand.
How to drill it
Half guard to dogfight to single leg, 8 each side.
What comes next
Where it comes from