Dogfight

What it is

The dogfight is a half guard scramble where both players are on their knees side by side, each fighting for the underhook, with the bottom player's leg still trapping one of the top player's. The bottom player gets there by coming up from half guard with the underhook. Whoever wins the underhook and keeps their head higher usually comes out on top.

What you want from here

• You are in half guard with the underhook and they are not flattening you.
• You want to come up from the bottom and take the far leg or the back.
• On top: you need to get your own underhook or a whizzer to stop them coming up.
• On either side: the position is decided quickly, so fight for the underhook straight away.

Key details

• The underhook is the position. Without it you are just next to them on your knees.
• Head higher than theirs, close to their head, pushing into them.
• From bottom, drive forward with your head up and take the far leg, or come up to the back if they turn away.
• On top, a whizzer and a hip push stop them coming up, then you can flatten them again.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: letting your head drop below theirs. They push you down and flatten you back into half guard.
• Mistake: sitting back on your heels. You lose your drive and they take your back.
• Mistake: on top, leaning back on the whizzer with no hip pressure. They come up and take the leg.

How it is escaped or passed

• Winning the underhook battle and returning the other player to their back.
• The whizzer (overhook) with a hip push to stop the bottom player coming up.
• Turning to face them or sprawling back to block the leg attack.

Gi and no-gi

The dogfight is more common in no-gi, because without collar grips there is less to stop the bottom player coming up. In the gi the top player can also grip the collar or belt.