Kiss of the Dragon
Transition · Open Guard
Hook his ankle in the bend of your elbow, keep the reverse De La Riva hook clamped and kick him up with the other foot, lift your hips and roll through between his legs on your shoulders; loop the hook in as a back hook, grab the back of his pants or belt, pull yourself to him and climb to the back.
How to do it
- From reverse De La Riva, underhook their lead leg with your arm, holding their feet.
- Keep the reverse De La Riva hook clamped, kick him up with the other foot and invert under that leg, on your shoulders, never on the neck.
- Spin through between their legs, to the inside like a reverse berimbolo, and put your hooks in, holding their feet the whole time.
- Grab the back of their pants or the belt and pull yourself to them, so your chest stays connected as you climb.
- Climb up the back if they stay low, or drag them down with the hooks if they stand.
Key details
- It is a reverse berimbolo: you spin to the inside, between their legs.
- Keep the grips the whole time and keep the hooking leg clamped: they are what keep you attached as you spin.
- If they base far away, do not chase the back: switch to another attack.
- Roll on the shoulders, never on the neck.
Common mistakes
- Letting go of the feet during the spin. — They step out and turn to face you. — Hold the feet until the hooks are in.
- Chasing the back when they base far away. — You end up upside down with nothing. — Take a sweep or recover the guard instead.
- Inverting on the neck. — The neck takes the whole weight. — Invert over the shoulders; drill it slowly first.
How to drill it
From reverse De La Riva: underhook, invert, hooks, 6 slow reps each side.
Safety
Inversions load the neck: warm up and roll on the shoulders.
What comes next