Combat Base is a fundamental neutral position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where the practitioner establishes a stable, mobile platform inside the opponent’s guard. The position is characterized by one knee posted on the mat and the opposite foot planted flat, creating a triangulated base that allows for effective weight distribution, posture maintenance, and guard passing opportunities. This position serves as the primary platform for initiating most standing and kneeling guard passes while providing strong defensive structure against sweeps and submission attempts.
Combat Base represents the critical transition point between simply being inside the opponent’s guard and actively working to pass. The position balances offensive pressure with defensive stability, allowing the top practitioner to control distance, break grips, and create passing angles while remaining resistant to the bottom player’s attacks. The asymmetrical stance—with one knee down and one foot planted—provides mobility for circling, stepping, and pressure application while maintaining a low center of gravity that prevents being swept or elevated.
Mastery of Combat Base is essential for all guard passing systems, as it forms the foundation from which techniques like the Toreando Pass, Knee Slice Pass, and Long Step Pass are initiated. The position emphasizes proper weight distribution through the posted knee and planted foot, active hand positioning to control the opponent’s hips and legs, and dynamic posture that can shift between offensive pressure and defensive structure. Understanding Combat Base mechanics is crucial for developing a well-rounded top game and effective guard passing strategy.
Position Definition
- One knee posted on the mat with foot extended back, creating a stable triangular base point that distributes weight efficiently through the shin and kneecap
- Opposite foot planted flat on the mat with knee raised above hip line, positioned near opponent’s hip to control distance and create forward mobility for passing sequences
- Upright posture maintained with spine straight and head elevated above hips, preventing forward collapse while maintaining structural integrity against pulling attacks
- Hands actively engaged with opponent’s hips, legs, or gi grips to control distance and prevent guard closure, elbows kept inside knees for armbar defense
- Weight distributed between posted knee and planted foot in approximately 60-40 ratio, allowing for quick weight shifts and directional changes during passing attempts
- Hips positioned above opponent’s hip line with sufficient distance to prevent triangle attacks while close enough to apply forward passing pressure
Prerequisites
- Successfully opened opponent’s closed guard or entered open guard position
- Established initial grip control on opponent’s legs, hips, or gi to manage distance
- Cleared immediate submission threats such as triangle or armbar setups
- Created sufficient space to transition from kneeling to combat base stance
- Maintained upright posture with proper head and spine alignment to prevent chokes
Key Principles
- Maintain triangulated base with posted knee, planted foot, and hips forming stable geometric structure resistant to multi-directional forces
- Keep spine upright and head positioned above hips to prevent forward collapse and maintain structural integrity against pulling attacks
- Distribute weight dynamically between posted knee and planted foot based on passing direction and opponent reactions to maintain balance
- Control opponent’s hips and legs with active hand positioning to manage distance and prevent guard retention or re-closure
- Use planted foot to generate mobility for circling, stepping, and angle creation while maintaining base stability during movement
- Keep elbows tight to body and avoid overextending arms to prevent armbars, omoplatas, and triangle setups
- Adjust stance width and knee position based on opponent’s guard type and defensive strategy to optimize passing angles
Available Techniques and Transitions
Knee Slice Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 45%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Toreando Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Long Step Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Double Under Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Knee Cut Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Headquarters Pass → Headquarters Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Smash Pass → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent maintains open guard with feet on hips and active frames preventing forward movement:
- Execute Toreando Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position (Probability: 50%)
If opponent attempts to close guard or establish butterfly hooks on posted knee:
- Execute Knee Slice Pass → Side Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Smash Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
If opponent establishes De La Riva or X-Guard hooks on posted leg:
- Execute Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Headquarters Pass → Headquarters Position (Probability: 45%)
If opponent creates distance and extends legs defensively with feet pushing hips:
- Execute Long Step Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Toreando Pass → Side Control (Probability: 55%)
If opponent pulls knees to chest in defensive posture or inverts:
- Execute Double Under Pass → Side Control (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Stack Pass → Side Control (Probability: 50%)
Optimal Paths from This Position
Shortest path to submission
Combat Base → Toreando Pass → Side Control → Kimura
High-percentage control path
Combat Base → Knee Slice Pass → Side Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Pressure-based submission path
Combat Base → Smash Pass → Side Control → North-South → North-South Choke
Back attack path
Combat Base → Long Step Pass → Side Control → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Leg entanglement path
Combat Base → Headquarters Pass → Headquarters Position → Saddle → Heel Hook
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 50% | 35% | 5% |
| Intermediate | 65% | 50% | 10% |
| Advanced | 80% | 70% | 15% |
Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds in competitive BJJ depending on guard style and passing strategy
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
Combat Base represents the fundamental mechanical platform from which all guard passing systems must originate. The position’s efficacy derives from its geometric efficiency—the triangulated structure created by the posted knee, planted foot, and elevated hips forms a stable base that can withstand multi-directional forces while maintaining mobility for dynamic passing sequences. The key biomechanical principle is weight distribution: approximately 60% of body weight should transfer through the posted knee to create downward pressure that limits the opponent’s hip mobility, while 40% remains on the planted foot to enable rapid directional changes and angular movement around the guard. The upright posture is non-negotiable from a defensive perspective—forward lean compromises structural integrity and creates vulnerability to submission attacks by placing the head and arms within the opponent’s offensive sphere. When executed correctly with proper weight distribution and postural alignment, combat base transforms the guard passing game from a chaotic scramble into a systematic progression where each movement maintains structural advantages while progressively limiting the opponent’s defensive options. The position serves as the universal starting point for pressure passing, distance passing, and leg-drag-based passing systems, making it perhaps the most important foundational position to master for effective guard passing across all competitive contexts and rule sets.
Gordon Ryan
In competition at the highest level, combat base is your default position whenever you’re working to pass guard—it’s the position you return to after every passing attempt, every grip fight, every scramble that doesn’t immediately result in a pass. The difference between good combat base and great combat base that you see at black belt world championship level is your ability to make constant micro-adjustments based on what the opponent is doing with their legs, hips, and grips. If they’re trying to establish De La Riva hooks on your posted leg, you adjust your stance wider and shift weight to the threatened side to neutralize the hook. If they’re setting up butterfly hooks underneath you, you narrow your base and drive forward pressure to prevent elevation. The planted foot is your mobility engine in this position—use it constantly to circle, to create new angles, to step over legs and change directions. I’m never static in combat base during matches; I’m always moving, always pressuring, always forcing the bottom player to react to my movements rather than executing their game plan. The moment you become stationary in combat base and allow the bottom player to set their grips and establish their preferred guard style, you’ve given them the initiative and they’ll start their attacks. Modern guard retention at the elite level is too good and too systematic to allow that luxury—you need to be threatening passes and creating pressure before they can get settled into their A-game guard.
Eddie Bravo
Combat base in no-gi grappling is completely different than in the gi because you can’t rely on collar and sleeve grips to maintain distance and control, so your base structure has to be even more dynamic and pressure-oriented to compensate for the lack of friction and grip controls. In the 10th Planet system, we think of combat base as the launching pad for our passing sequences rather than a static position to hold, but we’re also hyper-aware of leg entanglement threats that the traditional gi-based approach doesn’t emphasize as much. The modern leg lock game has fundamentally changed combat base mechanics because you can’t just post a knee inside someone’s guard without considering inside heel hook entries, X-guard transitions, and other leg entanglement attacks that can happen instantly. We teach a more mobile, pressure-heavy version of combat base where you’re constantly switching which leg is posted, which foot is planted, creating this flowing movement pattern that makes it hard for the bottom player to establish hooks or control points on your legs. The key innovation in our approach is integrating upper body pressure with lower body mobility—use your shoulder and chest to create frames and pressure against the opponent’s legs and hips while your base structure allows you to flow around their guard without getting stuck. It’s less about static stability and more about controlled chaos where you’re always moving and pressuring but never off-balance or vulnerable to sweeps. This dynamic approach to combat base has proven incredibly effective in submission-only formats where you can’t rely on stalling or holding positions.