Defending against the Leg Knot reversal to Outside Ashi requires understanding both the mechanical triggers that enable the reversal and the specific windows where your attacking position becomes vulnerable. As the Leg Knot Top player, you hold the offensive initiative with submission threats, but this advantage can evaporate if you allow the bottom player to control your far leg, establish a hip angle, and execute the hip switch rotation that transforms them from defender to attacker.
The primary defensive strategy centers on maintaining your entanglement control while denying the bottom player the grips and angles they need. Your leg crossing configuration, forward pressure, and upper body positioning all serve as barriers to the reversal. When you recognize reversal attempts early through specific tactile and visual cues, you can shut them down before they develop momentum. The key insight is that most reversals succeed because the top player was focused exclusively on their own submission attempts and failed to monitor the bottom player’s preparatory movements.
Effective defense also requires having contingency plans when partial reversals occur. If the bottom player manages to clear their trapped leg or establish a hip angle, you must decide quickly between re-consolidating your Leg Knot control, advancing to a more dominant position like Saddle, or disengaging to reset. Each response carries different risks, and the correct choice depends on how far the reversal has progressed and what grips remain intact.
Opponent’s Starting Position: Leg Knot (Bottom)
How to Recognize This Attack
- Bottom player reaches across your body with their far hand attempting to grip your far knee or lower thigh, indicating they are establishing the primary reversal grip
- Bottom player turns onto their side facing you and angles their hips approximately 45 degrees, creating the rotation platform needed for the hip switch
- Bottom player begins pumping their trapped knee toward their chest with limp leg mechanics rather than pulling explosively, signaling systematic leg extraction rather than panic escape
- Bottom player’s free leg disengages from defensive framing against your hip and repositions to assist with rotation, indicating commitment to the reversal rather than continued passive defense
Key Defensive Principles
- Deny the far leg grip by keeping your legs tight and your far knee away from the bottom player’s reaching hand
- Maintain forward hip pressure into the entanglement to prevent the bottom player from creating the rotation angle needed for the reversal
- Monitor the bottom player’s hip orientation constantly, as turning onto their side is the first preparatory step for the reversal
- Keep the bottom player flat on their back through chest pressure and leg crossing tension, which eliminates the hip mobility they need
- React to grip attempts immediately rather than waiting for the full reversal sequence to develop, as early intervention is far more effective than late defense
Defensive Options
1. Widen base and post hands to block rotation
- When to use: When you detect the bottom player establishing hip angle and reaching for your far leg, before they have secured the grip
- Targets: Leg Knot
- If successful: Bottom player cannot generate rotation and remains in defensive Leg Knot Bottom; you retain attacking initiative and can continue submission threats
- Risk: Posting hands temporarily reduces your ability to attack submissions; a skilled bottom player may use this pause to address other defensive concerns
2. Drive forward and stack to collapse rotation angle
- When to use: When the bottom player has turned onto their side and begun the hip switch but has not yet completed the 180-degree rotation
- Targets: Leg Knot
- If successful: Your forward pressure flattens the bottom player and eliminates the hip angle they need; you can re-consolidate Leg Knot Top and resume attacking
- Risk: If the bottom player is already committed to the rotation, your forward drive may accelerate their hip switch by providing momentum they redirect
3. Counter-rotate and advance to Saddle
- When to use: When the bottom player has partially cleared their trapped leg and the standard Leg Knot configuration is compromised
- Targets: Saddle
- If successful: You advance to a more dominant leg entanglement position with superior submission access, turning their reversal attempt into a worse outcome for them
- Risk: If your counter-rotation timing is off, you may lose the entanglement entirely and end up in a scramble with neither player having established control
4. Strip far leg grip and re-tighten entanglement
- When to use: Immediately upon feeling the bottom player’s hand contact your far knee or thigh, before they can establish a secure grip
- Targets: Leg Knot
- If successful: Removes the foundational grip that enables the entire reversal sequence; bottom player must restart their setup from scratch
- Risk: Using your hand to strip the grip temporarily removes it from controlling the bottom player’s trapped leg, potentially creating a brief submission defense window
Best-Case Outcomes for Defender
→ Leg Knot
Deny the far leg grip early by keeping your far knee tight and away from their reaching hand. Maintain forward hip pressure to prevent hip angle creation. When you detect the reversal setup, widen your base and drive your weight into the entanglement to flatten the bottom player. Strip any grips they establish on your far leg immediately. Re-tighten your leg crossing configuration and resume your submission attack sequence.
→ Saddle
When the bottom player commits to the reversal and partially clears their trapped leg, use their movement to advance your own position rather than simply trying to maintain Leg Knot. Counter-rotate into the space they create by stepping your far leg over their clearing leg and establishing Saddle configuration. Their reversal attempt creates the opening you need to cross their knee line and achieve the more dominant entanglement. This transforms their offensive action into a positional gift.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: What is the earliest recognition cue that the bottom player is setting up the reversal to Outside Ashi? A: The earliest cue is the bottom player reaching across your body with their far hand to grip your far knee or lower thigh. This grip is the foundational requirement for the reversal. Before they can rotate, they must first control your far leg to prevent counter-rotation. Detecting and denying this grip attempt is the most efficient point to shut down the reversal.
Q2: Your bottom opponent has turned onto their side and established a 45-degree hip angle - what is the most effective response at this stage? A: At this stage, forward driving pressure is still effective because the hip switch has not yet been committed. Drive your hips into the entanglement while widening your base and posting your hands to block rotation. Simultaneously, use your hand to strip their far leg grip if they have one. The goal is to flatten them back and eliminate the hip angle before they can initiate the decisive 180-degree rotation.
Q3: Why is counter-rotating toward Saddle a better response than trying to maintain Leg Knot once the reversal is partially committed? A: Once the bottom player has cleared their trapped leg and committed to the hip switch, attempting to maintain the original Leg Knot configuration requires fighting against their rotational momentum. Counter-rotating toward Saddle works with the available momentum rather than against it, using the space created by their movement to advance to a more dominant entanglement. This transforms their offensive action into a positional upgrade for you.
Q4: How should you balance pursuing your own submissions from Leg Knot Top with monitoring the bottom player’s reversal setup? A: Maintain dual awareness by keeping your submission attack cadence while monitoring two specific indicators: the bottom player’s far hand position and their hip orientation. If their far hand stays in a defensive posture protecting their heel, you can focus on attacking. If their far hand begins reaching across toward your far leg or their hips begin turning onto their side, immediately pause your attack and address the reversal threat before it develops.
Q5: The bottom player has secured your far leg grip but has not yet created a hip angle - what is your priority? A: Your immediate priority is stripping the far leg grip before they can create the hip angle. Use your free hand to peel their fingers from your knee or thigh, targeting their thumb side for maximum grip-breaking efficiency. Simultaneously, increase forward pressure to flatten their hips and prevent the angle creation that enables the rotation. Once the grip is broken, re-tighten your entanglement and resume attacking, knowing they will likely attempt the grip again.