The underhook battle represents a critical neutral position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where both practitioners compete for underhook control, typically occurring in half guard, turtle, clinch, and scramble situations. This position is characterized by intense grip fighting where securing the underhook provides significant tactical advantages including back access, sweep opportunities, and passing control. The underhook battle is fundamentally asymmetric—whoever achieves the underhook first gains offensive initiative while their opponent must either fight to regain parity or accept a defensive posture.
Unlike static positions with clear point values, the underhook battle is a transitional state where control is constantly shifting. Success requires understanding hand fighting principles, body positioning, and the ability to chain underhook control into dominant positions. The battle often occurs when escaping side control, entering half guard, or during standing exchanges, making it one of the most frequent battlegrounds in competitive grappling. Mastery of underhook mechanics directly correlates with success in controlling where the match goes next.
The strategic importance of the underhook cannot be overstated—it provides the structural foundation for most dominant positions in BJJ. From half guard, the underhook enables deep half entries, back takes, and sweeps. From turtle, it facilitates guard recovery and prevents opponent consolidation. From standing, it controls distance and enables takedown entries. Understanding how to win, maintain, and exploit underhook advantages is essential for practitioners at all levels seeking to dictate positional flow.
Position Definition
- Both practitioners actively competing for underhook control with at least one arm attempting to achieve deep underhook position beneath opponent’s armpit
- Body-to-body contact maintained with chest, hips, or shoulders in close proximity enabling continuous grip fighting exchanges and immediate positional transitions
- Neither player has established dominant control yet—position remains fluid with potential for rapid positional changes based on grip outcomes and commitment level
Prerequisites
- Understanding of basic grip fighting and hand fighting principles including grip breaking and establishing dominant connections
- Familiarity with underhook mechanics and their strategic value in positional hierarchy across multiple positions
- Ability to distinguish between underhook, overhook, and whizzer configurations and understand their tactical implications
- Basic knowledge of half guard, turtle, or clinch positions where underhook battles commonly occur and their transition patterns
Key Principles
- Deep underhook position with elbow past opponent’s centerline provides maximum control and back access
- Maintain active grip fighting—static hands allow opponent to establish superior grips and positional control
- Connect underhook to hip control or head control to prevent opponent from creating distance and resetting
- Use shoulder pressure and chest weight to drive opponent’s posture down while establishing underhook
- Chain underhook control immediately into positional advancement—delay allows opponent to defend and recover
- Prevent opponent’s crossface when they have the overhook to maintain offensive potential and prevent flattening
- Control distance with frames when losing underhook battle to create space for re-entries or guard retention
Available Techniques and Transitions
Deep underhook to back take → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Underhook sweep from half guard → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Deep half entry via underhook → Deep Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Arm drag to back from underhook → Back Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 40%
- Advanced: 55%
Underhook to dogfight position → Dogfight Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 45%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 75%
Single leg entry from underhook control → Standing Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Kimura trap from underhook battle → Kimura Trap
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 25%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Butterfly guard recovery via underhook → Butterfly Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Underhook pass to side control → Side Control
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Body lock from double underhook → Body Lock
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 30%
- Intermediate: 45%
- Advanced: 60%
Old school sweep from underhook → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 35%
- Intermediate: 50%
- Advanced: 65%
Quarter guard advancement via underhook → Quarter Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 40%
- Intermediate: 55%
- Advanced: 70%
Decision Making from This Position
If you secure deep underhook with elbow past opponent’s centerline and they lack crossface control:
- Execute Back take via underhook control → Back Control (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Deep half entry → Deep Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
If opponent counters with whizzer or overhook control while you have underhook:
- Execute Arm drag to back → Back Control (Probability: 50%)
- Execute Kimura trap entry → Kimura Trap (Probability: 45%)
If opponent achieves underhook first and begins driving pressure:
- Execute Whizzer defense and frame → Half Guard (Probability: 55%)
- Execute Limp arm escape to guard → Open Guard (Probability: 45%)
If both players have competing underhooks (double underhook scenario):
- Execute Hip switch to single underhook dominance → Dogfight Position (Probability: 60%)
- Execute Body lock control → Body Lock (Probability: 50%)
If opponent prevents deep underhook with frames and creates distance:
- Execute Re-establish guard retention → Open Guard (Probability: 65%)
- Execute Butterfly hook insertion → Butterfly Guard (Probability: 55%)
Optimal Paths from This Position
Underhook to back control to rear naked choke
Underhook Battle → Back Control → Rear Naked Choke
Underhook to kimura trap to submission
Underhook Battle → Kimura Trap → Kimura
Deep underhook to deep half to leg attacks
Underhook Battle → Deep Half Guard → Ashi Garami → Heel Hook
Underhook sweep to mount to armbar
Underhook Battle → Half Guard → Mount → Armbar from Mount
Arm drag from underhook to crucifix to choke
Underhook Battle → Crucifix → Choke from Crucifix
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 40% | 35% | 15% |
| Intermediate | 55% | 50% | 25% |
| Advanced | 70% | 65% | 40% |
Average Time in Position: 10-30 seconds before resolution to dominant position, escape, or reset to neutral
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The underhook battle represents a fundamental biomechanical hierarchy in grappling—whoever achieves deeper underhook position controls the geometric relationship between both bodies and dictates subsequent positional outcomes. The underhook provides structural access to the opponent’s back, which is the most dominant control position in our sport. From a systematic perspective, underhook depth correlates directly with back exposure—shallow underhooks provide limited offensive potential, while deep underhooks with the elbow past the opponent’s centerline create immediate back-taking opportunities. The critical error most athletes make is treating the underhook as a static achievement rather than a dynamic gateway requiring immediate exploitation. Superior grapplers understand that underhook control must be instantly converted into hip control, head control, or direct back access within two to three seconds, otherwise the opponent’s defensive structures will neutralize the advantage. The underhook battle is won not merely by achieving the grip, but by understanding the subsequent chain of attacks that flow from that structural advantage.
Gordon Ryan
In competition, the underhook battle determines who controls the pace and direction of the entire match, especially in no-gi where grip options are limited. I’ve won countless matches by simply being more aggressive and technical in securing the underhook first from half guard, turtle, or standing positions. The key is understanding that the underhook isn’t just about the arm position—it’s about immediately using that connection to break your opponent’s posture, expose their back, and advance to dominant control. When I get the underhook from half guard, I’m not thinking about holding it; I’m already moving to deep half, taking the back, or sweeping within the same motion. Against elite opponents, hesitation after securing the underhook is the difference between scoring and getting countered with a whizzer into a terrible position. My most effective strategy is combining underhook pressure with constant hip movement and head control—this prevents opponents from establishing their defensive frames and forces them to react to my offense rather than implementing their own game plan. The underhook battle is a race, and the first person to convert their grip into positional advancement wins.
Eddie Bravo
The underhook battle is where creativity and unorthodox techniques really shine, especially in the 10th Planet system where we use it as a gateway to lockdown, electric chair, and truck positions. Traditional BJJ teaches the underhook primarily for back takes and sweeps, but we’ve expanded it into a whole subsystem of control that leads to unique submissions and positional hierarchies. From half guard bottom with the underhook, you can transition into lockdown to control distance, then use the underhook to set up old school sweeps or even electric chair attacks. The beauty of the underhook is that it gives you offensive control even from supposedly ‘bad’ positions like bottom half guard or turtle. One of my favorite innovations is using the underhook to set up the twister system—when you have the deep underhook from turtle or dogfight, you can transition directly into the truck position and start hunting for calf slicers and twisters. Most guys don’t expect that chain of attacks. The underhook battle isn’t just about getting to someone’s back the traditional way; it’s about opening up an entire universe of offensive possibilities that your opponent isn’t prepared for. Think outside the box and chain the underhook into your most creative techniques.