Upa

What it is

The upa is a mount escape that bridges and rolls the top player over so you land inside their guard. You trap one arm and one foot on the same side, then bridge over your shoulder toward that side. With nothing to post on, they have to roll. It is usually the first mount escape taught because it needs no flexibility, only timing and a strong bridge.

When to use it

• They are in low mount with their hands on the mat or on your chest, close enough to grab an arm.
• They reach for a cross collar choke or an ezekiel, which puts an arm within reach to trap.
• They post a hand on the mat near your head to stop your hip movement. That arm is now the one to trap.
• Pair it with the elbow escape: when they base out to stop the upa, their weight shifts and the hips open for the shrimp.

How to do it

1. Trap one arm: hug it to your chest with both hands, elbow pinned tight to your ribs so they cannot pull it free or post with it.
2. Trap the foot on the same side: step your foot over the outside of their foot and pin it to the mat with your heel.
3. Walk your feet in close to your hips so your heels are near your bottom and your knees point up.
4. Bridge hard, driving your hips up and over the shoulder on the trapped side, not straight up.
5. Keep hugging the arm as you roll through. Their head and hands have nowhere to go.
6. Land on top inside their closed guard. Posture up straight away and get your hands on their hips or chest.

Key details

• Bridge diagonally over your shoulder. A straight up bridge lifts them and drops them back in place.
• Trap the arm and foot on the same side, otherwise they post with whichever one is free.
• Pin the elbow of the trapped arm to your body. Holding only the wrist lets them slip it out.
• Heels close to your hips before you bridge. Long legs make a weak bridge.
• Keep rolling all the way through. A half roll leaves you under side control.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: bridging straight up. They ride the bridge, come back down and nothing has changed except your energy.
• Mistake: trapping the arm but not the foot. They base out with the free leg and stay on top.
• Mistake: letting go of the arm during the roll. They post the hand and you end up in half guard at best.
• Mistake: pausing on top. A lazy finish lets them close the guard around you with arm control and attack straight away.

What they will try

• They post the free hand or foot wide on the trapped side to stop the roll, then settle their weight back.
• They swim the trapped arm free and move it to the opposite side before you bridge.
• They step the trapped foot out and switch to a higher mount where the bridge has less effect.