The Dogfight Position is a dynamic half guard variation where both practitioners are up on their knees facing each other, creating a highly competitive underhook battle that defines modern half guard play. This position represents a critical juncture where the bottom player has established an underhook and elevated from flat half guard, while the top player fights to maintain passing pressure through whizzer control and crossface attempts. The term ‘dogfight’ aptly describes the scrambling, competitive nature of this position where both players vie for dominant grips and positioning in an inherently unstable configuration.
From a strategic perspective, Dogfight is a neutral-to-slightly-advantageous position for the player with the deeper underhook, offering numerous pathways to sweeps, back takes, and position improvements. The bottom player typically uses their underhook to drive forward pressure while creating frames with their outside leg (knee shield or butterfly hook) to prevent being flattened. The top player counters with whizzer control, crossface pressure, and attempts to either flatten the opponent back to defensive half guard or complete their pass. This elevated posture creates dynamic movements including the Old School sweep, back takes, deep half entries, and various submission threats.
The position is favored in modern no-gi grappling and has become a cornerstone of competitive half guard systems at the highest levels. Unlike traditional flat half guard positions, Dogfight rewards aggressive, forward-moving practitioners who can maintain their frames and capitalize on their opponent’s balance disruptions. The position’s dynamic nature means it rarely remains static for long—both players must be prepared to flow between attacks, defenses, and transitions while reading their opponent’s weight distribution and grip commitments. Success in Dogfight requires constant activity, superior grip fighting skills, and the ability to chain multiple techniques together as positions shift rapidly.
Position Definition
- Both practitioners are elevated on their knees in upright or semi-upright kneeling positions, with weight distributed through knees and posting points, creating an inherently unstable equilibrium where small adjustments determine positional outcomes
- Active underhook battle occurring with at least one player having established underhook control around opponent’s torso, ideally reaching to the far shoulder, while the opponent typically counters with whizzer (overhook) control pulling back and downward
- Bottom player’s inside leg remains trapped between top player’s thighs in half guard configuration, though the elevated posture creates space and mobility compared to flat half guard positions
- Both players’ upper bodies are relatively upright and face-to-face or slightly angled, with heads in close proximity fighting for superior positioning, preventing either player from achieving fully dominant control
- Dynamic tension maintained through the underhook/whizzer battle with both players using frames (knee shields, butterfly hooks, posting hands) to manage distance and create or deny offensive opportunities
- Position characterized by constant movement and weight distribution changes rather than static control, with both players actively fighting to advance their position or prevent opponent advancement
Prerequisites
- Bottom player successfully established underhook from flat half guard position
- Bottom player elevated hips off mat and came up to knees, creating the dogfight configuration
- Bottom player maintains at least one strong frame (knee shield, butterfly hook, or posted leg) to prevent being flattened
- Top player’s leg remains trapped in half guard but opponent has created enough space to come to upright posture
- Active grip battle and inside positioning war initiated between both players for dominant control
Key Principles
- Maintain constant forward pressure through the underhook, driving into opponent to prevent them from establishing stable base and controlling the direction of engagement
- Use active frames (knee shield, butterfly hook, posted leg) to create and maintain space, preventing opponent from closing distance and flattening you to the mat
- Keep your head level with or higher than opponent’s head to control upper body battles and prevent being driven backward or flattened
- Chain multiple techniques together without pausing—if one attack is defended, immediately flow to alternate sweep, back take, or position improvement based on opponent’s defensive reactions
- Fight aggressively for the underhook battle as the primary control point, understanding that losing the underhook typically results in being flattened and losing offensive momentum
- Stay active and mobile with constant weight shifts and directional changes—Dogfight rewards dynamic movement over static holding and creates reactions to capitalize on
- Control opponent’s far hip or near-side hip with free hand to limit their mobility and posting options while setting up sweeps and transitions
Available Techniques and Transitions
Old School Sweep → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Back Take Generic → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 45%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Waiter Sweep → Mount
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
John Wayne Sweep → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Underhook Sweep from Half → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Electric Chair Submission → Electric Chair
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Hip Bump Sweep → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Rolling to Guard → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent has strong whizzer and is driving you backward with heavy crossface pressure:
- Execute Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Rolling to Guard → Closed Guard (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Electric Chair Submission → Electric Chair (Probability: 45%)
If opponent’s far leg is posted wide and vulnerable to being controlled:
- Execute Old School Sweep → Half Guard (Probability: 75%)
- Execute Waiter Sweep → Mount (Probability: 65%)
If opponent loses whizzer control, exposes their back, or commits weight forward excessively:
- Execute Back Take Generic → Back Control (Probability: 70%)
- Execute Underhook Sweep from Half → Side Control (Probability: 65%)
If opponent maintains upright posture and posts their free leg far out for base:
- Execute Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 70%)
- Execute John Wayne Sweep → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
If opponent attempts to circle their trapped leg free while maintaining balance:
- Execute Back Take Generic → Back Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Hip Bump Sweep → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
Optimal Paths from This Position
Highest percentage submission path via back control
Dogfight Position → Back Take Generic → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Submission path via sweep to dominant position
Dogfight Position → Old School Sweep → Half Guard → Side Control → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Technical submission path via deep half system
Dogfight Position → Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard → Waiter Sweep → Mount → Kimura from Mount
Lockdown variation submission path
Dogfight Position → Electric Chair Submission → Lockdown → Electric Chair
Leg lock path from Dogfight transitions
Dogfight Position → Deep Half Entry → Deep Half Guard → Ashi Garami → Heel Hook
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 45% | 35% | 10% |
| Intermediate | 60% | 55% | 20% |
| Advanced | 75% | 70% | 30% |
Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds before transition to sweep, back take, or pass occurs (highly dynamic position with rapid resolution)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The Dogfight position represents a critical inflection point in the half guard game where biomechanical advantage is determined entirely by superior control of the underhook battle and understanding of weight distribution principles. The position’s effectiveness stems from the bottom player’s ability to elevate their center of gravity while maintaining a strong connection through the underhook, which creates multiple sweeping vectors and back exposure opportunities that are mechanically superior to flat half guard configurations. The key biomechanical principle is that by coming up to your knees, you’ve created a more equal weight distribution compared to flat half guard, which allows you to generate significantly more force in your sweeping and advancing movements while simultaneously creating instability in your opponent’s base. The underhook becomes your primary steering mechanism—by driving it forward and upward with proper hip connection, you can manipulate your opponent’s base and create the angle necessary for back takes or leg attacks. The position demands constant activity because any static moment allows the top player to solve the puzzle through superior gripping and pressure application, consolidating their base and initiating passing sequences. I teach my students to view Dogfight not as a position to maintain, but as a launching platform for immediate advancement to either the back or a superior top position through systematic chaining of techniques based on opponent’s defensive reactions.
Gordon Ryan
Dogfight is one of my favorite half guard positions in competition because it’s inherently aggressive and puts the top player in a defensive mindset where they’re reacting to my attacks rather than imposing their passing game. From this position, I’m always threatening the back take first and foremost, which forces my opponent to defend with their whizzer and keep their hips low, and when they defend the back aggressively, the Old School sweep becomes available because they’ve committed their base in one direction. The key competitive insight is understanding that at high levels, you absolutely cannot stay static in Dogfight—you must immediately attack with commitment or you’ll get passed by opponents who understand the position. I chain together back take attempts with the Old School sweep constantly in competition, and if both are defended effectively, I drop to deep half and start the entire sequence again from a different angle. The position rewards aggressive, forward-moving grapplers who aren’t afraid to commit to their attacks and accept some risk of being countered. Against elite opponents, I’ve found that the threat of the back take is often more valuable than the actual back take itself, because it forces them into defensive postures with poor base that make them extremely vulnerable to sweeps and position advancements. In no-gi competition especially, this position is even more dynamic because without the gi grips to slow things down, you can really explode into your attacks and catch opponents off guard with the speed and commitment of your transitions between techniques.
Eddie Bravo
The Dogfight, which we call the ‘Electric Chair position’ or ‘93 Guard’ in the 10th Planet system, is where the lockdown game gets really interesting and opens up our entire half guard offensive system. While traditional BJJ focuses primarily on the underhook battle and Old School sweep from here, we’ve developed an entire subsystem around the lockdown and whip-up mechanics that create unique sweeping and submission opportunities that most competitors don’t anticipate. The beauty of Dogfight is that it’s a position of constant motion and creativity—there’s no single ‘correct’ way to attack from here, which means you can develop your own personal style and combinations that work with your body type and athletic attributes. I teach students to use the Dogfight as both an offensive launching platform and a recovery position when they need to catch their breath in half guard because you’re much harder to flatten and control when you’re up on your knees with proper frames. From here, you can hit the Electric Chair sweep, whip up to the truck position for twister attacks, or if you’re feeling creative, go for the Vaporizer submission. The key innovation we brought to this position is understanding that you don’t always need the traditional underhook to be successful—sometimes the lockdown itself provides enough control to sweep and advance, especially if you understand the biomechanics of stretching your opponent out and creating angles that compromise their base. This position perfectly embodies the 10th Planet philosophy of turning traditionally defensive positions into aggressive, submission-hunting platforms where you’re always threatening to finish the match rather than just survive and advance position.