The Knee Slice pass is one of the most fundamental and effective guard passing techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This dynamic passing system creates a powerful slicing motion that cuts through the guard’s defensive structure, specifically targeting the space between the opponent’s legs. The technique combines forward pressure with lateral movement, making it extremely difficult for the bottom player to maintain their guard retention. The Knee Slice is particularly effective against half guard, knee shield, and various open guard positions. Its effectiveness stems from the simultaneous attack on multiple defensive frames - as you slice your knee through, you collapse the opponent’s knee shield while controlling their upper body, creating a direct path to dominant side control. This pass is valued across all levels of competition for its reliability, pressure-based mechanics, and ability to chain into other passing sequences when met with resistance.
Starting Position: Half Guard Ending Position: Side Control Success Rates: Beginner 45%, Intermediate 60%, Advanced 75%
Key Principles
- Drive knee diagonally across opponent’s thigh to collapse their defensive structure
- Maintain constant forward pressure throughout the entire passing sequence
- Control opponent’s far hip to prevent them from turning into you
- Keep your weight distributed forward to prevent being swept
- Break down the knee shield frame before initiating the slice
- Use head positioning to control opponent’s upper body and prevent underhooks
- Chain to other passes when opponent defends the initial slice
Prerequisites
- Established top position in half guard or open guard with knee shield
- Control of opponent’s far side sleeve or collar to limit their mobility
- Posture maintained with hips forward and chest pressure applied
- Base hand posted on mat for stability during the slice
- Knee shield or butterfly hook neutralized through grip control
- Head positioning controlling opponent’s far shoulder
Execution Steps
- Establish grips and posture: From top half guard position, secure a cross-collar grip or grip on the far side sleeve. Your other hand posts on the mat near opponent’s hip for base. Drive your chest forward to create pressure and maintain upright posture, preventing them from breaking you down. (Timing: Initial setup phase before movement begins)
- Break down knee shield: If opponent has knee shield, use your free hand to push their knee down toward the mat while simultaneously driving your chest forward. This collapses their primary defensive frame and opens the pathway for your knee to slice through. Maintain constant forward pressure throughout this breakdown. (Timing: As soon as grips are established)
- Step inside leg forward: Step your inside leg (the leg trapped in their half guard) forward and slightly toward their hip line. Your knee should be positioned to cut diagonally across their bottom thigh. This creates the angle necessary for the slicing motion and begins to flatten them to their back. (Timing: Immediately after knee shield is neutralized)
- Execute the knee slice: Drive your knee diagonally across opponent’s thigh in a smooth slicing motion, moving from their hip line toward their far shoulder. Your shin should be cutting through the space between their legs while your upper body drives forward. Keep your hips low and weight distributed forward to prevent them from recovering guard. (Timing: Continuous motion once step is initiated)
- Free your leg and flatten opponent: As your knee slices through, extract your trapped leg from their half guard by pulling it back and clear. Simultaneously, use your cross-face hand or shoulder to drive their head away, flattening them completely to their back. Your weight should now be distributed across their torso. (Timing: As knee clears their thigh line)
- Secure side control: Complete the pass by establishing tight side control. Your chest should be heavy on their sternum, with your hips low to the mat. Secure underhook on near side and cross-face on far side. Ensure your legs are positioned to prevent them from inserting guard or creating space for escape. (Timing: Final consolidation phase)
Opponent Counters
- Bottom player extends leg and frames on hip to prevent forward pressure (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Switch to leg drag by controlling their extended ankle and redirecting their legs to the opposite side, or step back and reset grips while maintaining top pressure
- Opponent secures deep underhook on near side and comes to their knees (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately address the underhook by transitioning to front headlock control or guillotine position, or circle away from the underhook side while maintaining collar control
- Bottom player inverts and attempts to recover guard or attack legs (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Follow their inversion by maintaining top pressure and transitioning to turtle or back control, or backstep to maintain passing position while avoiding their leg entanglement attempts
- Opponent hooks your far leg with their bottom leg to prevent the slice (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Switch your base by stepping the hooked leg over their hook while maintaining upper body control, or transition to a different passing angle such as over-under or long step
- Bottom player creates strong frames and prevents your forward movement (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Use grip fighting to strip their frames, then combine with stack pressure or change passing direction to attack their weakened defensive structure
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the primary target line for your knee during the knee slice pass? A: The knee should slice diagonally across the opponent’s thigh, moving from their hip line toward their far shoulder. This angle is critical because it simultaneously collapses their defensive structure while moving your body toward the passing position. Slicing too high allows them to recover guard underneath you, while slicing too low gives them space to turn in.
Q2: Why is constant forward pressure essential throughout the knee slice pass? A: Forward pressure prevents the opponent from sitting up, establishing underhooks, or creating the space necessary to recover guard. It keeps them flattened to their back, which eliminates most of their defensive options. Without this pressure, even technically correct knee positioning will fail because the opponent can use the space to escape or counter-attack.
Q3: How should you respond when your opponent secures a deep underhook during your knee slice attempt? A: Immediately address the underhook before continuing the pass. You can transition to front headlock control by circling toward the underhook while controlling their head, establish a guillotine position if they come to their knees, or circle away from the underhook side while maintaining collar control and resetting your passing angle. Never ignore a deep underhook as it fundamentally compromises your passing position.
Q4: What is the relationship between breaking down the knee shield and successful knee slice execution? A: The knee shield is the primary defensive frame that blocks the pathway for your slicing knee. Without systematically breaking it down first through combination of grip control and forward pressure, your knee slice will be blocked or incomplete. The breakdown creates the opening necessary for your knee to cut through. Attempting to force the slice without addressing the shield leads to getting stuck mid-pass with poor positioning.
Q5: Why is controlling the opponent’s far hip crucial during the knee slice, and what happens if you neglect this control? A: Controlling the far hip prevents the opponent from turning into you as you pass, which is one of their primary escape mechanisms. Without this control, they can rotate their hips toward you, recover their guard structure, or even sweep you to the opposite side using your forward momentum against you. The far hip control acts as an anchor point that keeps them flat on their back while you complete the passing sequence. Advanced players will specifically target this weakness if you leave the hip uncontrolled.
Q6: How does the knee slice integrate with other passing systems when met with specific defensive reactions? A: The knee slice serves as an excellent entry point for passing chains. When opponent extends their legs to frame against the slice, you can transition to leg drag by controlling their ankle. If they invert to recover, you follow to turtle or back control. When they establish strong frames preventing forward movement, you can switch to long step or over-under passes. If they hook your far leg, you can step over into a stack pass. Understanding these transitions transforms the knee slice from a single technique into a systematic passing approach that adapts to defensive responses.
Safety Considerations
The knee slice pass is generally safe for both training partners when executed with proper control. However, practitioners should be mindful of several safety points. Avoid driving your knee directly into opponent’s thigh with excessive force, which can cause bruising or muscle trauma. Maintain control throughout the pass rather than explosively driving through, which could result in uncontrolled weight dropping on your partner. When training with significant size or strength differences, the top player should moderate their pressure to prevent rib or chest injuries. Beginners should focus on technical precision over speed or force. During competition-paced training, communicate with your partner about intensity levels. If you feel excessive pressure on your ribs or difficulty breathing when defending the pass, tap or verbally signal your partner to reset. Both partners should maintain awareness of mat boundaries to prevent rolling off the training area during the dynamic passing sequence.
Position Integration
The knee slice pass functions as a cornerstone technique within the modern guard passing system, bridging pressure passing with dynamic movement-based approaches. It naturally connects from top half guard, knee shield situations, and various open guard positions, making it extremely versatile. The technique integrates seamlessly with the broader passing hierarchy - serving as both a primary attacking option and a transitional movement when other passes are defended. When chained with leg drag, long step, and over-under passes, the knee slice becomes part of a comprehensive passing system that addresses multiple defensive reactions. Its effectiveness comes from attacking the guard structure from an angle that forces difficult defensive choices: defend the upper body control and lose lower body positioning, or maintain guard structure but concede upper body dominance. This dilemma-creation principle makes it a high-percentage pass across all skill levels. The knee slice also serves as excellent preparation for more advanced passing concepts, teaching fundamental principles of pressure, angle creation, and hip control that apply throughout your passing game.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The knee slice pass represents one of the most mechanically sound approaches to guard passing because it simultaneously attacks multiple elements of the defensive structure. When you analyze the geometry of the pass, you’re creating a diagonal cutting motion that bisects the opponent’s guard while your upper body control prevents compensatory movements. The beauty of this technique lies in its systematic breakdown of defensive layers - first the grips, then the frames, finally the leg position itself. What makes it particularly effective is the way it forces the bottom player into a position where their strongest defensive tools become progressively less effective as the pass develops. The forward pressure component is not simply about weight distribution but about controlling the opponent’s ability to generate the hip movement necessary for guard retention. When teaching this pass, I emphasize the interconnected nature of upper body control and lower body passing - they must work in concert. The common failure point I observe is practitioners treating it as purely a leg technique when it’s actually a full-body systematic approach to dismantling guard structure. Master the knee slice and you’ve mastered fundamental principles that apply across your entire passing game.
- Gordon Ryan: The knee slice is my go-to pass in competition because it’s proven at the highest levels and works against every guard style. What I love about this pass is that it’s both a complete technique and a setup for everything else in my passing system. In competition, I’m constantly threatening the knee slice because it forces opponents to react, and their reactions open up leg drags, long steps, or back takes. The key from my competition experience is maintaining relentless forward pressure - you can’t give elite guard players even a moment to breathe or reorganize their defenses. I’ve hit this pass on world champions because the fundamental mechanics are so sound that even when opponents know it’s coming, stopping it requires perfect defensive execution. My variation focuses heavily on the cross-face control and hip positioning - I want my hips low and my chest heavy on them before I even start the slicing motion. Against knee shield, I immediately attack that frame because letting it stay means you’re not really passing, you’re just pressuring. In training, I drill this pass more than any other because it works at every level and the better you get at it, the more dangerous your entire passing system becomes. When I’m tired in matches, this is the pass I trust because it relies on position and pressure more than athleticism.
- Eddie Bravo: The knee slice is a fundamental pass that we incorporate extensively in 10th Planet system, though we adapt it for no-gi situations and combination passing sequences. What makes it so effective is how it creates a powerful pressure funnel that collapses the guard structure, but the real magic happens when you start combining it with our other passing innovations. We teach it as part of a flow system where if the traditional slice gets blocked, you’re immediately transitioning to options like the crotch ripper pass or electric chair attacks. In no-gi, the mechanics shift slightly because you lose the collar and sleeve grips, so we emphasize head control and overhooks more than gi practitioners typically would. One variation I love is using the knee slice motion as a feint to set up leg entanglement positions - when they defend the slice by extending their legs, you’ve got access to their legs for honey hole or saddle entries. The pressure game is crucial but we also train the explosive entry version where you’re combining it with forward rolls and other dynamic movements to keep opponents guessing. For MMA applications, this pass is gold because it naturally progresses to strikes and you can maintain heavy control throughout. My students drill this pass constantly but always with the understanding that it’s one tool in a comprehensive passing flow system, not an isolated technique.