Butterfly Smash

The Butterfly Smash is a fundamental pressure passing technique designed to neutralize and collapse the butterfly guard structure. This pass exploits the inherent weakness of butterfly hooks when met with forward pressure and proper weight distribution. By driving your weight through specific points of control while systematically removing the bottom player’s frames and hooks, you create a pathway to dominant top positions. The technique emphasizes pressure over speed, making it highly effective against technically proficient guard players who rely on maintaining distance and active hooks. Understanding the mechanics of hip pressure, shoulder positioning, and incremental advances makes this pass a cornerstone of any pressure-based passing system.

Starting Position: Butterfly Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%

Key Principles

• Forward pressure through the opponent’s center line to collapse butterfly structure
• Systematic removal of frames and hooks before attempting to pass
• Weight distribution through shoulders and hips to pin lower body
• Incremental position improvement rather than explosive movements
• Control of opponent’s upper body to prevent re-guarding
• Chest-to-chest connection to eliminate recovery space
• Patience in maintaining pressure while opponent exhausts defensive options

Prerequisites

• Opponent is in butterfly guard with both hooks established
• You have established grips on opponent’s collar or sleeves
• Your posture is upright or slightly forward
• Distance is close enough to begin pressure application
• You have identified which side to attack first
• Base is stable enough to begin forward movement

Execution Steps

1. Establish upper body control: Secure grips on opponent’s collar or control both sleeves. Drive your forehead into opponent’s chest or shoulder to begin breaking their upright posture. Keep your elbows tight to your body to prevent arm drags. (Timing: Initial engagement phase)
2. Choose side and begin pressure: Select the side where opponent’s butterfly hook feels weaker or where you have better grip control. Step your opposite leg back slightly to create angle while driving your chest and shoulder forward into opponent’s upper body, beginning to collapse their structure. (Timing: As soon as grips are secured)
3. Drive knee to mat: On your chosen side, drive your knee to the mat beside opponent’s hip, pinning their bottom leg and removing space for their hook to function. Your knee should be tight to their hip, not floating or allowing gaps. (Timing: Immediately after establishing forward pressure)
4. Clear first butterfly hook: Use your knee pressure and forward drive to force opponent’s first butterfly hook to flatten or lose connection. Your hip should drop toward the mat while maintaining chest pressure on their upper body. The hook should naturally collapse under the combined pressure. (Timing: As knee reaches the mat)
5. Secure crossface or underhook: As the first hook clears, immediately establish a crossface by driving your forearm across opponent’s face toward far shoulder, or secure a deep underhook on the same side. This control prevents them from turning into you or recovering guard position. (Timing: The moment first hook is compromised)
6. Step over second leg: With the first hook neutralized and upper body control established, step your far leg over opponent’s remaining butterfly hook. Keep your hips heavy and chest pressure constant to prevent them from inserting new frames or recovering hooks. (Timing: Once crossface or underhook is secure)
7. Consolidate side control: Bring your stepping leg back to establish proper side control base with knee near opponent’s hip. Distribute your weight through chest and hips to pin opponent flat. Ensure your crossface or underhook is maintained while establishing proper side control positioning. (Timing: Final consolidation phase)

Opponent Counters

• Opponent sits up explosively and pumps butterfly hooks to create distance (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Maintain head position low on their chest, drive forward harder with your shoulders, and immediately drop your hips to smother their hook movement before they can extend
• Opponent arm drags your controlling arm to attack your back (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Keep elbows tight to body during initial engagement, if dragged begins, immediately limp arm and circle away while establishing new grips, never let them get behind your shoulder line
• Opponent switches to half guard as you begin to pass (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Expect this transition and be prepared to immediately address half guard with appropriate passing techniques, or prevent the transition by controlling the far hip as you pass
• Opponent uses frames on your hips or face to create distance and re-establish hooks (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Clear frames systematically before committing to the pass, use your head position to strip away face frames, and maintain forward pressure to collapse hip frames

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Attempting to pass too quickly without establishing sufficient pressure
  • Consequence: Opponent easily maintains hooks and can sweep or re-establish guard
  • Correction: Take time to fully collapse the structure with pressure before attempting to move around the legs
• Mistake: Keeping hips too high during the smash
  • Consequence: Opponent can use hooks effectively to elevate and sweep
  • Correction: Drop hips toward the mat while maintaining chest pressure, create a low, heavy base
• Mistake: Neglecting to control opponent’s upper body before passing
  • Consequence: Opponent sits up, re-establishes guard, or attacks submissions
  • Correction: Always secure crossface or underhook before attempting to step over the second leg
• Mistake: Allowing gaps between your chest and opponent’s upper body
  • Consequence: Opponent inserts frames and creates distance to recover guard
  • Correction: Maintain constant chest-to-chest connection throughout the entire passing sequence
• Mistake: Stepping over the second leg too wide or too early
  • Consequence: Opponent captures half guard or re-establishes full guard
  • Correction: Only step over once first hook is completely cleared and upper body is controlled, keep the step tight to their body

Training Progressions

Week 1-2: Pressure Fundamentals - Learning proper weight distribution and pressure application Practice establishing grips and forward pressure against static butterfly guard. Focus on feeling how pressure collapses hooks. Partner provides minimal resistance, only maintaining butterfly structure. Emphasize chest-to-chest connection and hip positioning. (Resistance: Light)

Week 3-4: Hook Removal Mechanics - Systematic clearing of butterfly hooks Drill the specific mechanics of knee placement and hook collapse. Partner maintains hooks but allows you to work through the clearing sequence. Practice both sides equally. Add crossface and underhook establishment once hooks are cleared. (Resistance: Light)

Week 5-8: Dynamic Resistance - Dealing with active defensive responses Partner actively tries to maintain hooks and create distance with frames. Practice clearing frames while maintaining pressure. Work on timing of crossface/underhook establishment. Include common counter scenarios like arm drags and half guard transitions. (Resistance: Medium)

Week 9-12: Competition Integration - Full resistance and combination passing Partner uses full defensive toolkit including sweeps, submissions, and guard retention. Practice recognizing when butterfly smash is optimal versus other passing options. Chain together with other pressure passes. Include positional sparring from butterfly guard. (Resistance: Full)

Month 4+: Advanced Applications - Variations and high-level adjustments Incorporate gi and no-gi specific grips. Practice against high-level butterfly players. Work on subtle weight shifts and pressure adjustments based on opponent reactions. Develop instinctive recognition of passing opportunities. (Resistance: Full)

Variations

No-Gi Butterfly Smash: Without collar grips, establish head position lower on the chest and use wrist control or overhooks for upper body control. Emphasis shifts more to body weight and head pressure rather than grip-based control. (When to use: No-gi training or competition, when collar grips are not available)

Single Underhook Smash: Establish a deep underhook on one side before initiating the smash, using the underhook to control opponent’s upper body throughout. This creates a stronger control position but may telegraph your passing direction. (When to use: Against opponents who are particularly good at sitting up and maintaining upright posture)

Double Under Butterfly Smash: Secure both underhooks before beginning the smash sequence, clasping hands behind opponent’s back. This provides maximum upper body control but requires more initial setup and can be countered by whizzer defense. (When to use: When you can secure double underhooks, particularly effective against less experienced players)

Test Your Knowledge

Q1: Why is forward pressure more effective than lateral movement when passing butterfly guard? A: Forward pressure directly attacks the structural integrity of butterfly hooks by removing the space they need to function. Butterfly hooks rely on creating elevation and distance - forward pressure collapses this structure by driving the opponent flat and removing the leverage their hooks require. Lateral movement without pressure allows the opponent to maintain their hook connection and rotate with you.

Q2: What is the primary timing indicator for when to step over the second butterfly hook? A: You should only step over the second hook after the first hook is completely neutralized AND you have established upper body control through a crossface or underhook. Stepping too early allows the opponent to use the remaining hook to recover guard or transition to half guard. The key signal is feeling the opponent’s structure collapse and their upper body pinned.

Q3: How does keeping your elbows tight to your body prevent common butterfly guard attacks? A: Tight elbow positioning prevents arm drags, which are one of the most effective counters from butterfly guard. When your elbows are extended or loose, the opponent can easily grab your wrist or tricep and pull your arm across their body to access your back. Keeping elbows connected to your ribs makes it much harder for them to isolate and control your arms.

Q4: What is the relationship between chest pressure and hook effectiveness in the butterfly smash? A: Butterfly hooks require the bottom player to maintain an upright or angled posture to generate lifting power. Chest pressure forces the opponent onto their back, which fundamentally changes the angle of their hips and legs, making the hooks biomechanically weak. When the opponent is flat, their hooks cannot create the elevation needed for sweeps or guard retention, turning them into passive obstacles rather than active threats.

Q5: Why is the butterfly smash considered a pressure pass rather than a speed pass? A: The butterfly smash relies on systematically collapsing the opponent’s defensive structure through sustained pressure rather than quickly moving around their legs. Success comes from making the opponent’s guard mechanically ineffective through weight distribution and forward drive, then consolidating position incrementally. Speed passes attempt to move around defenses before they can react, while pressure passes like the butterfly smash make the defenses themselves stop working through sustained control.

Q6: What should you do if the opponent successfully prevents your first hook clear? A: If the first hook remains active despite your pressure, reassess your weight distribution and pressure angle. Often this means your hips are too high or your chest pressure is insufficient. Reset by driving your forehead lower on their chest, dropping your hips closer to the mat, and ensuring your knee is tight to their hip. You can also switch to attacking the opposite side if one hook proves more resistant than the other.

Safety Considerations

The butterfly smash is generally a safe passing technique when performed with control. However, practitioners should be mindful of pressure application on the opponent’s face and neck during crossface establishment - excessive or sudden pressure can cause discomfort or injury. When drilling, start with light pressure and gradually increase as both partners become comfortable with the mechanics. Be particularly careful with head positioning to avoid accidental headbutts when driving forward. Partners should communicate clearly if pressure becomes uncomfortable, especially on the jaw or neck. When receiving the pass, avoid explosive bridging or shrimping movements that could result in collision injuries.

Position Integration

The Butterfly Smash integrates into a comprehensive pressure passing system as a fundamental response to butterfly guard. It connects seamlessly with other pressure-based passes like the double under pass, long step pass, and knee slice, forming a coherent passing chain. When opponents defend the butterfly smash by transitioning to half guard, you can immediately switch to appropriate half guard passing sequences. The technique also serves as an entry point for back-takes when opponents turn away to defend, and for mount attacks when you achieve full crossface control. Understanding this pass builds the foundational pressure mechanics needed for more advanced passing systems like those developed by Bernardo Faria and Gordon Ryan.

Related Techniques

• Butterfly Guard - Starting position - the guard being passed
• Butterfly Hook Control - Defensive mechanism being neutralized
• Side Control - Primary ending position after successful pass
• Butterfly Pass - Alternative passing approach to same guard
• Double Under Pass - Complementary pressure pass that chains well
• Half Guard - Common transition when opponent defends
• Long Step Pass - Alternative pressure passing option
• Knee Slice Pass - Follow-up pass when opponent creates frames
• Pressure Passing - Core principle underlying this technique
• Guard Passing - Fundamental concepts being applied
• Forward Pressure - Key mechanical principle
• Weight Distribution - Essential skill for effective execution

Expert Insights

• Danaher System: The butterfly smash represents a fundamental application of pressure passing principles to a specific guard structure. What makes this technique systematically effective is the relationship between forward pressure and hook functionality. Butterfly hooks operate as a lever system - they require space and angle to generate force. By driving your weight through specific points of connection and controlling the opponent’s upper body, you remove the geometric requirements for their hooks to function. This isn’t about strength, it’s about understanding the mechanical necessities of their position and systematically denying them. The progression should always be: establish pressure, collapse structure, clear obstacles, consolidate position. Each step must be complete before proceeding to the next. Students often rush to the passing phase before the structure is truly collapsed, which is why they get swept or re-guarded.
• Gordon Ryan: The butterfly smash is one of the highest percentage passes at the elite level because it’s fundamentally sound against technical guard players. In competition, you’ll face opponents who are excellent at maintaining distance and using butterfly hooks to off-balance you. The key to making this work at a high level is understanding that it’s a war of attrition - you’re making them carry your weight until their structure fails. I focus heavily on chest-to-chest connection because once you eliminate that space, their hooks become much less threatening. The timing for securing the crossface is critical in competition - if you attempt it too early, they’ll defend it and possibly counter. Wait until you feel their first hook collapse under pressure, then immediately establish the crossface before they can sit back up. Against world-class butterfly players, I’ll often use this pass to force them into half guard, which I find easier to pass than dealing with active butterfly hooks.
• Eddie Bravo: The butterfly smash is old school fundamental technique, but it still works at every level because it attacks the basic physics of butterfly guard. In the 10th Planet system, we see this as part of the broader pressure game that complements our guard systems. What’s interesting is how this pass forces the bottom player to make decisions - do they try to maintain hooks and get smashed, or do they bail to half guard or attempt a sweep? Either way, you’re controlling the engagement. I like teaching this pass early because it builds the muscle memory for forward pressure and weight distribution that carries over to so many other positions. One detail we emphasize is keeping your head position active - don’t just put your head down, actively drive it into their chest or shoulder. That small detail multiplies the effectiveness of your pressure. And remember, if they’re good at butterfly, they’re going to make you work for this pass, so develop your conditioning and learn to be patient with pressure.