Over-Under Pass

What it is

The over-under pass is a pressure pass where one arm goes under one of their legs and the other arm goes over the other leg, so you can fold the underhooked leg up and pin the other hip to the mat. With both legs stacked to one side and your head and shoulder driving into them, you walk around to side control. It is slow, heavy and hard to stop once it is set.

When to use it

• They play open guard with their knees up and one leg low enough to reach over.
• You have just opened their closed guard and one leg is in your hands.
• They are flexible and keep recovering guard against fast passes.

How to do it

1. Underhook one leg with one arm, so their leg rests on your shoulder, and reach over their other thigh with your other arm.
2. Grip their trousers at the hip or lock your hands around that thigh, pinning it to the mat.
3. Drive forward, folding the underhooked leg toward their head, with your head and shoulder pressing into their belly.
4. Walk your feet around toward the side of the leg you hold from above, keeping the pressure on.
5. Once your hips are past their knees, drop your chest onto theirs and take a crossface.
6. Free your arm from under the leg and settle into side control.

Key details

• The pressure is the pass. Keep your shoulder heavy on them the whole way around.
• Their hips stay pinned. If the over leg's hip comes off the mat they can turn and recover.
• Walk with small steps, staying low, rather than jumping around.
• Keep your head tight to their body, so they cannot frame on it or catch a triangle.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: setting the grips without pressure. They shrimp away and the legs come back between you.
• Mistake: walking around with your hips high. They invert or roll and recover guard.
• Mistake: letting go of the over leg too early. It comes back over your arm and the guard is back.

What they will try

• They frame on your head and shoulder and hip-escape to bring a knee back in.
• They turn to their knees toward you and go to turtle.
• They invert and swing the underhooked leg back over your head.

Gi and no-gi

Without trousers, lock your hands around the over leg's thigh instead of gripping cloth. The legs slip more, so keep the pressure even heavier.