The John Wayne Sweep is a powerful offensive technique from butterfly guard that capitalizes on opponent’s forward pressure and poor base management. Named after the characteristic pistol-shooting motion used during the grip break, this sweep combines elements of traditional butterfly mechanics with creative grip fighting. The technique exploits the moment when your opponent reaches for underhooks or attempts to pass, using their forward momentum against them. By establishing strong sleeve control, creating an angle with your hip movement, and utilizing butterfly hooks effectively, you can elevate your opponent and transition directly to mount. This sweep is particularly effective in gi grappling where grip control provides leverage advantages, though no-gi variations exist using wrist and tricep controls.
Starting Position: Butterfly Guard Ending Position: Mount Success Rates: Beginner 35%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 65%
Key Principles
- Establish dominant sleeve control before initiating sweep momentum
- Create angular positioning to break opponent’s base structure
- Use butterfly hooks to elevate opponent’s hips while controlling upper body
- Time the sweep with opponent’s forward pressure or passing attempt
- Maintain tight connection throughout the rotation to prevent scrambles
- Follow through completely to secure mount rather than settling for top position
- Break opponent’s posted hand using the signature ‘pistol’ motion when needed
Prerequisites
- Active butterfly guard with both hooks inserted under opponent’s thighs
- Strong grip on opponent’s sleeve or wrist (gi) or tricep control (no-gi)
- Opponent applying forward pressure or attempting to establish underhooks
- Your hips mobile and ready to create angle
- Upper body posture maintained with ability to pull opponent forward
- Sufficient space to rotate without hitting obstacles or mat boundaries
Execution Steps
- Establish sleeve control: Secure a firm two-on-one grip on your opponent’s lead sleeve, with one hand on the wrist and the other on the tricep or elbow. Pull this arm across your centerline to break their posting base and create an angle. In no-gi, establish a firm grip on the wrist and tricep.
- Insert butterfly hooks: Ensure both butterfly hooks are actively engaged under your opponent’s thighs with your feet flexed and knees creating lifting pressure. Your hooks should be deep enough to control their hips but ready to extend for elevation. Keep your hips close to theirs to maximize leverage.
- Create angular momentum: While maintaining sleeve control, angle your body approximately 45 degrees toward the side of the controlled arm. This off-balances your opponent and positions your body for the rotational sweep. Your head should move toward the outside of their controlled arm.
- Execute pistol grip break: If opponent posts their free hand on the mat, perform the signature ‘John Wayne’ motion by making a pistol shape with your free hand and breaking their posted grip by striking or pushing it away. This removes their primary base point and commits them to the sweep.
- Elevate and rotate: Explosively extend your butterfly hooks upward while pulling strongly on the controlled sleeve. Simultaneously rotate your body underneath theirs, using your core and hips to generate momentum. Your goal is to invert their base completely while maintaining tight sleeve control throughout.
- Complete the sweep to mount: As your opponent rotates over you, follow through by continuing to pull their controlled arm while using your hooks to guide them past your guard. Release hooks at the appropriate moment and immediately establish mount by bringing your knees up their sides as they land on their back.
- Secure mount position: Once on top, quickly establish mount control by distributing your weight properly, getting your knees high into their armpits, and maintaining upper body control. Keep their controlled arm trapped if possible to prevent immediate escape attempts.
Opponent Counters
- Opponent withdraws hips and creates distance when they feel the angle developing (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately transition to alternative butterfly sweep or switch to X-guard entry by following their backward movement and inserting your bottom hook behind their knee while keeping top hook active
- Opponent establishes strong underhook on the non-controlled side and drives forward with shoulder pressure (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use their forward pressure to execute a basic butterfly sweep to the underhook side, or transition to deep half guard by dropping under the underhook and establishing lockdown control
- Opponent posts free hand strongly and distributes weight over posted arm to prevent pistol break (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Attack the posted arm with a kimura grip instead of breaking it, forcing them to defend the submission while you transition to a different sweep or back take opportunity
- Opponent sprawls legs back and flattens body weight down onto you (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Immediately remove butterfly hooks and transition to closed guard or seated guard, resetting the engagement rather than fighting from a compromised position
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why is establishing two-on-one sleeve control essential before attempting the John Wayne Sweep? A: Two-on-one sleeve control serves multiple critical functions: it breaks your opponent’s ability to post on that side, creates an angle by pulling their arm across their centerline which disrupts their base, provides a steering mechanism to guide them through the sweep, and prevents them from establishing underhooks or grips on that side. Without this control, opponent can easily post and maintain their base throughout your sweep attempt.
Q2: What is the mechanical purpose of creating a 45-degree angle before executing the sweep? A: The angular positioning serves to off-balance your opponent by moving their center of gravity outside their base of support. When you angle toward the controlled sleeve side, you create a rotational axis that your opponent cannot defend by simply widening their base. This angle also positions your body optimally to rotate underneath theirs during the sweep while maintaining leverage through the butterfly hooks. The angle essentially transforms a linear lifting motion into a circular sweeping motion.
Q3: How should you adjust your strategy if your opponent successfully withdraws their hips backward as you create your angle? A: When opponent withdraws hips, immediately follow their backward momentum by transitioning to X-guard or single leg X-guard. Keep your top butterfly hook active while inserting your bottom hook behind their knee as they move back. Alternatively, you can transition to seated guard with ankle pick entries or follow them to standing and attack with wrestling-based takedowns. The key is recognizing that their backward movement creates different opportunities rather than fighting against it.
Q4: What biomechanical principles make the butterfly hooks effective during the elevation phase of this sweep? A: The butterfly hooks create leverage by positioning your feet under your opponent’s center of gravity at their hip/thigh junction. When you extend your legs, you’re effectively creating a first-class lever where your hips are the fulcrum, your extending legs are the effort arm, and your opponent’s upper body is the resistance arm. The close proximity of your hips to theirs maximizes mechanical advantage. Additionally, the hooks prevent lateral escape by controlling the inside thigh position, forcing opponent’s weight to rotate over you rather than stepping out.
Q5: When should you release your butterfly hooks during the sweep rotation? A: Release your butterfly hooks at the moment your opponent’s hips pass the vertical plane above you and their weight begins falling to the opposite side. Releasing too early results in incomplete rotation and scrambles. Releasing too late causes your legs to become trapped underneath them, preventing you from establishing mount. The optimal timing is when you feel their weight commit past the tipping point, typically when their back is facing the ceiling and their momentum is irreversible.
Q6: How does the John Wayne Sweep integrate with other butterfly guard attacks to create a systematic approach? A: The John Wayne Sweep works synergistically with arm drags, basic butterfly sweeps, and X-guard entries. If opponent defends the pistol break, you attack kimura. If they withdraw hips, you enter X-guard. If they drive forward with underhook, you execute basic butterfly sweep to that side. If they remain neutral, you arm drag to back take. This creates a decision tree where every defensive reaction opens a different offensive opportunity, embodying the principle of dilemma creation that defines effective guard systems.
Safety Considerations
The John Wayne Sweep is generally a low-risk technique for both practitioners when executed properly. The primary safety concern is ensuring sufficient mat space for the rotation, as the sweep involves rotating opponent over your body with momentum. Practice initially on soft surfaces and ensure no obstacles are nearby. Partners should be aware of the incoming sweep to avoid reflexively posting with their arm at dangerous angles, which can cause wrist or shoulder injuries. When drilling, the bottom practitioner should control the speed of rotation initially to prevent unexpected impacts. Advanced practitioners should be mindful of their partner’s flexibility limitations when pulling the controlled arm across centerline, as excessive force can strain the shoulder. In competition settings, be aware of mat boundaries to avoid rotating your opponent off the mat.
Position Integration
The John Wayne Sweep is a cornerstone technique within the offensive butterfly guard system and represents an evolution of traditional butterfly sweeping mechanics. It integrates seamlessly with the fundamental butterfly guard philosophy of using opponent’s forward pressure against them while maintaining offensive initiative. The technique serves as a bridge between basic butterfly sweeps and more advanced guard systems like X-guard and single leg X-guard, as the setup positions and grip controls are similar. Within Marcelo Garcia’s butterfly guard methodology, this sweep represents the creative grip fighting and angular attacks that make butterfly guard effective against larger opponents. The technique also connects to wrestling-inspired guard approaches where grips and angles substitute for pure strength. As part of a complete guard retention system, the John Wayne Sweep provides a high-reward option that directly threatens mount, one of the most dominant positions in BJJ, making it particularly valuable in competition settings where point-scoring is crucial.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The John Wayne Sweep exemplifies a critical principle in guard work: the asymmetric control of opponent’s upper body creates the conditions for lower body sweeping mechanics to succeed. By establishing two-on-one sleeve control, you create a mechanical advantage that prevents posting on one side while simultaneously creating angular momentum. The pistol grip break is not merely theatrical; it represents the systematic removal of your opponent’s final base point before committing to the sweep. Biomechanically, this technique demonstrates how proper sequencing—grip control first, angle creation second, elevation third—transforms individual actions into an unstoppable chain of events. The most sophisticated practitioners understand that the John Wayne Sweep is fundamentally about creating a rotational axis through your opponent’s body by controlling one arm while elevating their hips, making their body rotate around the fixed point of the controlled sleeve. This principle of fixing one point while moving another is universal across all effective sweeping mechanics.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the John Wayne Sweep is one of my highest percentage attacks from butterfly guard because it combines multiple threats simultaneously—the sweep itself, the kimura on the posted arm, and the back take if they defend incorrectly. What makes it competition-viable is that it directly threatens mount, which is four points in IBJJF rules, making it a game-changing technique in terms of scoring. I prefer executing this sweep when my opponent is reaching for underhooks aggressively because their forward commitment makes the sweep nearly unstoppable. The key competitive adaptation is being ready to transition immediately—if the sweep is defended, I’m already moving to X-guard or attacking the posted arm with a kimura. Against elite opponents, I often fake the John Wayne to draw the hip withdrawal, then follow them into single leg X where I have systematic attacks. The modern metagame demands that every technique chains into others, and the John Wayne’s grip configuration sets up numerous follow-up options regardless of defensive reactions.
- Eddie Bravo: The John Wayne Sweep represents the perfect fusion of traditional butterfly guard mechanics with creative grip fighting that defines modern no-gi grappling. In 10th Planet system, we emphasize this sweep particularly in the transition from seated guard to butterfly when opponent pressures forward. The pistol motion isn’t just functional—it’s also psychological warfare that disrupts opponent’s rhythm and creates openings. What makes this technique revolutionary is how it chains with our rubber guard and lockdown systems. If they defend by backing away, we follow into electric chair setups. If they drive forward with underhooks, we transition to mission control or New York entries. The no-gi variation requires explosive hip movement and tighter connections because you lack the gi friction, but this actually makes it more applicable to MMA contexts where my students need techniques that work in all grappling scenarios. The sweep also sets up our twister game beautifully—when opponent turtles to defend, you’re already positioned for truck entries. It’s all about creating dilemmas where every defensive choice opens a different offensive path.