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Underhook Pass | BJJ Technique | BJJ Graph

Oct 25, 20254 min read

Underhook Pass

bjjtransitionguard_passunderhookcontrol

Visual Execution Sequence

From half guard top, you secure a deep underhook on the opponent’s far side, threading your arm under their armpit and controlling their back or far shoulder. This underhook becomes your primary control tool. Your other hand controls their near side, often with a crossface or head control. Using the underhook, you drive their upper body flat while working to free your trapped leg with hip movement and angle changes. The underhook prevents them from coming to their side or establishing defensive frames, allowing you to systematically work free and establish side control with the underhook still secured.

One-Sentence Summary: “From half guard top with deep underhook, you flatten opponent and work your leg free using controlled hip movement, maintaining underhook into side control.”

Execution Steps

  1. Setup Requirements: Establish half guard top with deep underhook and head control
  2. Initial Movement: Drive opponent flat using underhook pressure, prevent side recovery
  3. Opponent Response: Opponent tries to maintain half guard or establish frames
  4. Adaptation: Work hip movement and angle to free trapped leg while maintaining underhook
  5. Completion: Extract leg completely, drive into side control position
  6. Consolidation: Secure side control with underhook maintained, establish crossface

Key Technical Details

  • Grip Requirements: Deep underhook to far side, crossface or head control with near hand
  • Base/Foundation: Use underhook as primary control, hip pressure to flatten opponent
  • Timing Windows: Pass when opponent is flat and you have deep underhook secured
  • Leverage Points: Underhook controls shoulder and prevents side recovery
  • Common Adjustments: Vary hip angle for leg extraction, adjust pressure distribution

Common Counters

Expert Insights

John Danaher

“The underhook pass exemplifies control-based passing. The underhook gives you dominant control of the upper body, making it very difficult for the opponent to defend effectively. With the upper body controlled, extracting the leg becomes a technical problem rather than a strength battle. This is intelligent passing.”

Gordon Ryan

“I use the underhook pass constantly because it’s low-risk and high-percentage. Once I have that deep underhook, the pass is mostly inevitable - it’s just a matter of working the leg free systematically. My opponent can’t really attack me, and I can take my time to pass correctly.”

Eddie Bravo

“Underhook control is fundamental in our system. Whether it’s in half guard, lockdown, or other positions, controlling that underhook is huge. It shuts down most of their offense and lets you work your game. Control first, pass second.”

Common Errors

Error 1: Shallow Underhook

  • Why It Fails: Opponent can easily escape or counter the underhook
  • Correction: Drive underhook deep, control the far shoulder or back
  • Recognition: Opponent easily recovering to their side or countering

Error 2: No Head Control

  • Why It Fails: Opponent can create frames and prevent the pass
  • Correction: Establish crossface or head control with free hand
  • Recognition: Opponent maintaining distance and defending effectively

Error 3: Static Hip Position

  • Why It Fails: Can’t free trapped leg despite good upper body control
  • Correction: Use hip switches and angle changes to create leg extraction
  • Recognition: Feeling stuck with leg trapped despite dominant control

Follows Transition Standard V2. Control-based fundamental passing.

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