Reverse De La Riva Guard (RDLR) is an advanced open guard position that inverts the traditional De La Riva hook orientation, creating unique rotational off-balancing mechanics that specialize in back takes and inversion-based attacks. The position emerged in the early 2000s as competitors developed sophisticated counter-passing systems, with practitioners like Cobrinha and the Miyao brothers demonstrating its offensive potential for creating back exposure opportunities through berimbolo entries and kiss of the dragon techniques.
Unlike traditional De La Riva which focuses on leg entanglements and direct sweeps using a standard hook orientation, Reverse De La Riva threads the near leg through the opponent’s far leg from behind, creating an inverted hook structure that generates circular off-balancing patterns. This mechanical difference fundamentally changes the position’s strategic purpose—while De La Riva excels at preventing forward pressure and creating direct sweeping opportunities, RDLR specializes in creating angles that expose the opponent’s back and facilitate inversion-based attacks.
The position serves dual purposes in modern BJJ: defensively, it acts as a powerful guard retention tool against knee cut and leg drag passing attempts; offensively, it creates systematic pathways to back control through berimbolo mechanics, waiter sweeps, and crab ride entries. The inverted hook structure naturally pulls the opponent’s base in a circular pattern, making it difficult for them to establish stable posture or initiate effective passing sequences. This rotational control creates a dilemma where every defensive choice the opponent makes opens different offensive opportunities—driving forward feeds into waiter sweeps, standing tall exposes them to kiss of the dragon entries, and backstepping creates X-Guard or Single Leg X transitions.
Strategically, RDLR has become increasingly prominent in both gi and no-gi competition due to its effectiveness at creating immediate back-taking opportunities, which are highly valued in modern scoring systems and submission-only formats. The position requires strong hip mobility and core strength to maintain the inverted hook structure under pressure, but rewards practitioners with one of the highest-percentage pathways from guard to back control in contemporary grappling. Understanding RDLR is essential for modern competitors, as it serves as a critical bridge between traditional open guards and modern leg entanglement systems, offering multiple pathways to dominant positions regardless of the opponent’s passing style.
Key Principles
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Inverted hook orientation creates rotational off-balancing mechanics that differ fundamentally from traditional De La Riva
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Hip elevation and core engagement maintain dynamic positioning rather than static defense on the mat
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Far leg control prevents opponent escape and creates leverage for sweeps and back takes
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Shoulder positioning toward opponent prevents back exposure while maintaining offensive options
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Active push-pull tension with both legs keeps opponent constantly reacting and off-balance
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Position functions as transitional hub rather than static guard, connecting to X-Guard, Single Leg X, and back control systems
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Strategic grip fighting on ankles and pants enhances control and creates pathways to inversions and sweeps
Top vs Bottom
| Bottom | Top | |
|---|---|---|
| Position Type | Offensive | Offensive |
| Risk Level | Medium | Medium |
| Energy Cost | Medium | Medium |
| Time | Medium | Medium |
Key Difference: Inverted hook creates rotational off-balancing
Playing as Bottom
Key Principles
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Maintain hip elevation off the mat through active core engagement to create dynamic rather than static positioning
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The inverted hook creates unique rotational off-balancing angles that expose the opponent’s back rather than traditional sweep mechanics
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Control opponent’s far leg to prevent escape and create sweep opportunities while maintaining the guard structure
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Keep shoulders turned toward opponent to prevent back exposure while maintaining offensive transition options
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Use active push-pull pressure with both legs to keep opponent constantly reacting and unable to settle into defensive posture
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Create angles for back attacks through hip movement and rotation under the opponent rather than static holding
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Strategic grips on ankles and pants enhance control and create pathways to sweeps, back takes, and guard transitions
Primary Techniques
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- Success Rate: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
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Kiss of the Dragon → Back Control
- Success Rate: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 65%
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Berimbolo Entry → Back Control
- Success Rate: Beginner 25%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 60%
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Crab Ride to Back → Back Control
- Success Rate: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 70%
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De La Riva to X-Guard Transition → X-Guard
- Success Rate: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
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Single Leg X Entry → Single Leg X-Guard
- Success Rate: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 65%, Advanced 80%
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- Success Rate: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 60%
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Rolling Back Take → Back Control
- Success Rate: Beginner 25%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 60%
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- Success Rate: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 65%
Common Mistakes
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❌ Keeping hips flat on the mat without active elevation
- Consequence: Reduces mobility and eliminates the off-balancing pressure that makes the position effective, allowing opponent to easily control distance and initiate passes. Static hip positioning also makes it impossible to generate the rotational movement needed for back takes.
- ✅ Correction: Actively elevate your hips off the mat by engaging your core and maintaining tension in your hook structure, creating dynamic pressure that keeps opponent off-balance. Think of your hips as the steering wheel that controls the direction of the sweep or back take. Recognition: If you feel static or unable to generate movement, your hips are likely too flat.
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❌ Losing far leg control during transitions
- Consequence: Allows opponent to step away with their far leg, establishing distance and stable base from which they can initiate passing sequences or completely disengage from the guard. Without far leg control, the inverted hook loses its off-balancing power.
- ✅ Correction: Maintain constant awareness of far leg control through hooks or grips, adjusting between ankle control and knee control based on opponent’s position. If you lose the hook, immediately transition to a grip or re-establish control before attempting offensive techniques. The far leg control is what prevents opponent escape and creates the leverage for sweeps.
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❌ Allowing shoulders to turn away from opponent
- Consequence: Exposes your back and eliminates offensive options, transforming you into a defensive position where opponent can attack your turtle or establish top control. Turning away also breaks the visual connection needed to read opponent’s reactions and time your attacks.
- ✅ Correction: Keep shoulders square to opponent with chest facing toward them, maintaining visual contact and hand positioning that controls distance. Your upper body should always be engaged with opponent through grips and frames, never turning to expose your back unless executing a deliberate inversion technique.
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❌ Static hook positioning without dynamic adjustment
- Consequence: Allows opponent to adapt to your pressure and establish counter-pressure, neutralizing the off-balancing effect of the inverted hook. Static hooks are easy to defend and don’t create the dilemmas that force opponent into vulnerable positions.
- ✅ Correction: Constantly adjust hook depth and angle based on opponent’s weight distribution, using push-pull motion to keep them reacting. The inverted hook should feel like a constant wave of pressure rather than a fixed anchor point. Vary between deep hooks around the thigh and shallow hooks on the calf based on what creates the most off-balancing effect.
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❌ Gripping opponent’s far ankle without controlling their near leg
- Consequence: Creates an imbalanced control system where opponent can easily drive their near knee forward to smash pass or establish headquarters position. The far ankle grip alone is insufficient to prevent skilled passers from working around the inverted hook.
- ✅ Correction: Use your far leg to control opponent’s near leg (either hooking behind their knee or establishing a frame on their hip) while your hand grips their far ankle. This creates a diagonal control system that prevents them from driving forward or stepping away. Both sides of the control structure must work together to create effective off-balancing.
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❌ Attempting sweeps or back takes without establishing proper grips first
- Consequence: Results in failed techniques where you lose guard position without gaining sweep or back control, often ending in opponent achieving the pass. Premature attacks without grip control leave you vulnerable to counter-passing sequences.
- ✅ Correction: Always establish your grip control system (typically far ankle and near leg control) before initiating dynamic movements. The grips should feel secure and connected before you commit your hips to a sweep or inversion. If opponent is actively fighting your grips, focus on grip fighting first before attempting offensive techniques.
Playing as Top
Key Principles
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Maintain strategic base positioning with weight distributed to counter the reverse De La Riva hook’s sweeping vector, typically requiring posting on the hooking-side leg while keeping hips back to prevent forward elevation
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Control the distance between your hips and bottom player’s hips to prevent them from getting underneath your center of gravity, which enables kiss of the dragon and berimbolo entries through inversion mechanics
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Strip the reverse De La Riva hook methodically by attacking the ankle grip first, then addressing the hook itself through backstep, leg drag, or smash passing protocols that neutralize the rotational control
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Establish headquarters position or similar mobile base that allows pressure application while maintaining readiness to address dynamic guard retention movements and inversion attempts
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Use collar ties, cross-faces, or pants grips to limit bottom player’s ability to invert and access back exposure or leg entanglement transitions that capitalize on guard retention
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Progress through passing stages systematically: neutralize the hook structure, establish control position (headquarters/leg drag), then complete the pass to side control or mount without allowing guard recovery
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Recognize and defend common sweeps (kiss of the dragon, waiter sweep, berimbolo) by maintaining proper posture and weight distribution throughout the passing sequence, never allowing hips to drift forward
Primary Techniques
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- Success Rate: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
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Leg Drag Pass → Leg Drag Position
- Success Rate: Beginner 40%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
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Knee Slice Pass → Side Control
- Success Rate: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
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- Success Rate: Beginner 25%, Intermediate 45%, Advanced 60%
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- Success Rate: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 55%, Advanced 70%
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Back Step → Headquarters Position
- Success Rate: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 65%, Advanced 80%
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- Success Rate: Beginner 30%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
Common Mistakes
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❌ Allowing hips to drift too far forward over bottom player’s center of gravity
- Consequence: Bottom player can easily execute kiss of the dragon sweep or berimbolo entry by getting underneath your base and rotating you in a circular pattern, leading to back exposure or sweep completion.
- ✅ Correction: Keep hips back with active posting on the hooking-side leg, maintaining distance between your center of gravity and bottom player’s hips. Think of your hips as staying ‘behind the line’ of their inverted hook throughout the passing sequence.
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❌ Pulling up on bottom player’s reverse De La Riva hook to remove it
- Consequence: Creates elevation that assists bottom player’s sweeping mechanics and can lead to technical standup sweeps or inversion entries where they capitalize on your upward pulling force to generate momentum.
- ✅ Correction: Address the ankle grip first through wrist control or grip breaks, then use backstep or lateral movement to neutralize the hook. Never fight the hook with vertical force; instead, remove its steering mechanism (the ankle grip) first.
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❌ Standing too upright with poor base width
- Consequence: Provides unstable platform that bottom player can easily off-balance through reverse De La Riva hook leverage, making you vulnerable to sweeps and unable to maintain consistent pressure throughout the passing sequence.
- ✅ Correction: Maintain wide base with strategic posting, keeping weight distributed to counter the hook’s sweeping vector. Your stance should be wide enough to prevent rotational off-balancing while maintaining mobility for passing movements.
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❌ Ignoring bottom player’s far leg (non-hooking leg) positioning
- Consequence: Allows bottom player to maintain distance and create effective frames that prevent passing pressure, making it impossible to consolidate position or advance through passing stages without addressing this defensive structure.
- ✅ Correction: Control the far leg through knee grips, push it across to create passing lanes, or pin it to prevent effective framing. The far leg control is equally important as dealing with the inverted hook for successful passing.
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❌ Attempting to pass directly into the reverse De La Riva hook without neutralizing it
- Consequence: Bottom player maintains guard structure and can transition to other guards or sweep attempts, making your passing attempts predictable and easy to defend through guard retention protocols.
- ✅ Correction: Use systematic hook removal through backstep, leg drag, or smash passing protocols before attempting final passing sequences. Never skip the hook neutralization stage—it’s a prerequisite for successful passing.
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❌ Over-committing to one passing direction without reading bottom player’s adjustments
- Consequence: Bottom player can anticipate and counter your passing attempts through guard retention or transition to other guards, making your passing one-dimensional and easy to defend at higher skill levels.
- ✅ Correction: Maintain mobile headquarters position with ability to switch passing directions based on bottom player’s reactions. Your passing should be a conversation where you respond to their defensive adjustments with appropriate counters.
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❌ Neglecting upper body control (collar ties, cross-face) while focusing only on leg positioning
- Consequence: Bottom player can freely invert, access back exposure, or create scramble situations where their mobility advantage becomes significant, often leading to sweep or back-take opportunities.
- ✅ Correction: Establish upper body controls early to limit bottom player’s inversion capacity while addressing lower body entanglements. The upper body control prevents the dynamic movements that make RDLR dangerous for the top player.