Defending the Double Underhook Pass requires understanding that the technique follows a predictable mechanical sequence: single underhook entry, second underhook threading, Gable grip lock, and forward drive to flatten. Each phase presents a distinct defensive window, and the defender’s success depends on recognizing the attempt early and disrupting the sequence before the attacker consolidates the double underhook grip. The most critical defensive moment occurs during the transition from single to double underhook, where the attacker must momentarily shift their hip pressure to create the threading angle.
The fundamental defensive strategy centers on preventing the attacker from establishing both underhooks simultaneously. A single underhook from Crackhead Control is manageable and even expected. The danger escalates dramatically when both underhooks connect and the Gable grip locks. Defensive priorities should follow this hierarchy: first, prevent the second underhook by controlling elbow position and maintaining tight arm connection to your ribs; second, if both underhooks establish, prevent the Gable grip from locking by swimming one arm free; third, if the grip locks, immediately initiate a counter before the forward drive begins.
The defender’s positional advantages include proximity to the mat for base, the ability to use their own bodyweight by sitting back into the attacker, and access to granby roll mechanics that can redirect the attacker’s forward momentum. Successful defense transforms the attacker’s committed forward pressure into a liability by using their own momentum against them, either recovering guard through hip insertion or creating enough scramble chaos to reset to a more neutral turtle position.
Opponent’s Starting Position: Crackhead Control (Top)
How to Recognize This Attack
- Attacker’s hands shift from collar tie, seatbelt, or neck attacks to swimming under your armpits - you feel pressure moving from your upper back and neck area to your ribcage and armpit
- Hip pressure from the chair-sit position intensifies and shifts forward slightly as the attacker adjusts their weight to create the threading angle for the second underhook
- You feel one arm being controlled from underneath with upward lifting pressure against your shoulder, followed by the attacker’s opposite hand beginning to probe under your far armpit
- The attacker’s chest drops lower against your upper back as they commit to the driving position, and you feel their head lower against your shoulder blade or hip rather than staying upright
Key Defensive Principles
- Defend the second underhook aggressively by keeping elbows pinched tight to your ribs and swimming your arm back inside whenever you feel the threading attempt
- Maintain active hip movement to prevent the attacker from settling their weight and committing to the pass sequence
- Recognize the transition from back attack defense to pass attempt immediately - the shift in the attacker’s arm placement from your collar to your armpits signals the change
- Use the attacker’s forward commitment against them by timing sit-back escapes or granby rolls to coincide with their drive phase
- Keep at least one arm available for posting and framing rather than committing both arms to neck defense, which opens the underhook pathways
Defensive Options
1. Sit back into the attacker during the single-to-double underhook transition by dropping your hips toward them and collapsing your turtle base toward their lap
- When to use: When you feel the first underhook establish and the attacker shifts weight to thread the second - this is the highest-percentage defensive window before the grip consolidates
- Targets: Crackhead Control
- If successful: Resets the position to neutral Crackhead Control where the attacker must restart their attack sequence, and may expose back take opportunities if they lose hip position
- Risk: If poorly timed, you may flatten yourself and make the pass easier. Must maintain base through your posting hand to control the sit-back speed.
2. Execute a granby roll toward the side of the first underhook, using the attacker’s forward pressure to fuel the rotation and ending facing them in guard position
- When to use: When the attacker commits to the forward drive with both underhooks locked - their committed weight makes them unable to change direction and you can redirect their momentum
- Targets: Half Guard
- If successful: Recover to Half Guard or Closed Guard by using the rotation to insert your legs between you and the attacker, converting a passing situation into a guard position
- Risk: If the attacker follows the roll while maintaining the Gable grip, they may land directly in Side Control. Requires explosive commitment and proper hip rotation timing.
3. Insert near-side knee between yourself and the attacker by collapsing to your hip and threading your knee across their centerline as they attempt to flatten you
- When to use: When the flattening drive begins but before your shoulders reach the mat - the transitional moment where space still exists between your hip and the mat
- Targets: Half Guard
- If successful: Establish Half Guard by trapping the attacker’s leg with your inserted knee, converting the turtle pass into a Half Guard situation where you have established defensive frames
- Risk: If your knee insertion is too late, the attacker drives through to Side Control. If too early, they may redirect around the knee before committing to the pass.
4. Strip the Gable grip by swimming your near arm free using a circular motion toward the mat, breaking the palm-to-palm connection before the drive phase begins
- When to use: Immediately after you feel both hands connect at your chest in the Gable grip but before the attacker initiates the forward drive - there is a brief window where the grip is not yet loaded
- Targets: Crackhead Control
- If successful: Breaks the pass sequence entirely. Without the connected grip, the attacker cannot generate sufficient leverage to flatten you and must reset to single underhook or abandon the pass attempt
- Risk: Swimming the arm may briefly expose your back if the attacker transitions to a back take instead of re-establishing the grip. Must immediately return elbow to ribs after stripping.
Best-Case Outcomes for Defender
→ Crackhead Control
Disrupt the pass early by sitting back into the attacker during the underhook threading phase or by stripping the Gable grip before the drive. This resets to neutral Crackhead Control where the attacker must restart their sequence. Maintain active hip movement and tight elbows after the reset to prevent immediate re-entry.
→ Half Guard
If the pass progresses past the grip establishment phase, immediately insert your near-side knee as a frame during the flattening drive. Time the knee insertion for the moment your hip contacts the mat, threading your shin across the attacker’s centerline and locking your legs around their near leg. This converts a turtle pass into a Half Guard recovery where you have legitimate offensive options.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the most critical defensive window during the Double Underhook Pass sequence? A: The most critical window is during the transition from single to double underhook, when the attacker must shift their hip pressure to create the threading angle. At this moment, the attacker has only one underhook established and their weight distribution is temporarily compromised. Defensive actions like sitting back or stripping the first underhook are most effective here because the attacker cannot simultaneously maintain hip pressure, control the first underhook, and thread the second.
Q2: You feel the attacker’s Gable grip lock at your sternum with both underhooks deep - what is your immediate priority? A: Immediately attempt to swim one arm free using a circular motion toward the mat to break the Gable grip before the forward drive loads it. If the grip strip fails, instantly transition to granby roll preparation by shifting your hips to the side and preparing to rotate with their drive. Do not waste time trying to stand or push the attacker off - the locked grip makes both of those options ineffective and dangerous. Your window before the drive begins is approximately one to two seconds.
Q3: How do you differentiate between the attacker preparing a back take versus setting up the Double Underhook Pass? A: Back take setups involve the attacker’s hands working toward your collar, neck, or seatbelt position on your upper chest and shoulder area. The Double Underhook Pass setup is signaled by the attacker’s hands diving under your armpits with upward lifting pressure against your shoulder from below. The tactile difference is unmistakable: back takes attack from above and around your shoulders, while the pass attacks from underneath through your armpit space. Additionally, back take setups typically involve the attacker trying to insert hooks, while the pass setup keeps their legs behind you in the chair-sit.
Q4: Your opponent drives forward with the locked Gable grip and your shoulders begin approaching the mat - what is your last-resort defensive option? A: Insert your near-side knee between yourself and the attacker as your hip contacts the mat. Thread your shin across their centerline and immediately lock your legs around their near leg to establish Half Guard. This must happen during the flattening transition before your shoulders are fully pinned. Once in Half Guard, immediately establish a knee shield or underhook to prevent them from simply completing the pass through the half guard position. This is the final checkpoint before Side Control.
Q5: Why is elbow position more important than grip fighting when defending the underhook entries? A: Your elbow pinched tight to your ribs creates a physical barrier that blocks the underhook pathway entirely. No amount of grip fighting can thread an underhook through a closed armpit. Grip fighting with your hands means your arms are extended and active, which paradoxically opens the armpit space the attacker needs. The elbow-to-rib connection is a structural defense that requires minimal energy to maintain, while grip fighting is a dynamic battle that fatigues your arms and creates timing windows for the attacker to exploit between your grip breaks.