Knee Cut Defence

[metallifan3091]

Check this thread out. I bookmarked it when I was having this problem and have referenced it often since then, including when I started to really work on my knee cut. It's been quite helpful.

http://forums.sherdog.com/forums/f12/knee-slide-pass-killing-my-de-la-riva-2335075/

 

[Basile4567]

Whenever I see threads like this, I'm always starting to wonder.

Man, are there no instructors at these guys academies to ask questions? No higher level belts? Why

Alot of very critical people on this forum ive noticed

 

[Basile4567]

You just got your blue belt and you're wondering which SIDE you get the underhook?

WTF is happening to BJJ?

Nothings happening to bjj its just hard for me to picture things when im just reading them, hopfully noone asks you for help at your gym LOL.

 

[Basile4567]

The knee cut is my favorite pass. As dirty holt said, if he has already entered the knee cut, it's likely too late. I like to knee cut and not worry about the underhook (from the top) in the hopes the guy will in fact turtle or engage my front headlock and give me a chance to attack the back. However, if you are strong in the single from that position, perhaps this might work for you.

In order to defend the knee cut pass, you cannot let them flatten you out, or set it up. But you also cannot let them get an appropriate angle. For reference, you might look up how MG does the knee cut, which is the method I adopted. It's very fast, and the opponent does not have to be all the way flat.

I think it's about timing, and anticipation. Perhaps you can try to play the knee cut from the top in order to understand the position better.

Thanks man this helped alot

 

[Zankou]

The only really correct answer is to maintain the distance with a guard. When I see people fail to defend the knee slice, 9 times out of 10 the problem is that they have no idea what guard they are trying to play or how to maintain it. Instead they use a variety of last-ditch half guard techniques, or are trying to impose a guard that isn't readily established against this position.

Any time your opponent has one leg in the middle, foot on the ground (as opposed to a tight top half guard), you are either going to have to escape your legs entirely and reset to a new guard position or else play an "open" half guard, DLR or RDLR. The problem I see over and over and again, and myself use to pass over and over again, is that people keep trying to play guards that won't work against the "foot in middle" position, and which your opponent can easily shut down. He isn't going to let you put your foot on his hip, establish closed guard, or establish a good half guard. He's just not. As soon as you give up that misconception and realize you need to either escape/cancel his middle leg position (such as by slipping in a bfly or shin hook) or play a true DLR/RDLR against it, the better off you will be. Saulo shows a good way this is done, RDLR style.


I am a knee-slice first passer, and most knee-slice passers are looking for their opponent to attempt to impose a position that is weak against the knee slice. They are looking for you to try to block with the top knee, or work for the underhook, or go to all fours (all of which can definitely work, but are late/desperation moves). That's what they want, and they have an array of attacks they intend to use against it. To properly defend the knee slice, you need to get out of that late defensive mindset and into a mindset that aggressively establishes a proper offensive guard with correct distance against it. This requires, at minimum, that both of your hands and both of your legs are taking proper grips/controls against your opponent.

 

[kuristus]

^^^
Excellent post.

Why does watching these old Saulo vids make me so happy? "Look. Righ' heah...Look the leg. Is righ' heah. If I let my leg flat, makes too easy fuh him to cross."

These were some of the first vids to be really helpful to me.

I'm really curious if Saulo uses or teaches the predominant style of reverse DLR nowadays. Here, he uses the hook, but doesn't call it RDLR, and in his book, he teaches a different style.

 

[Unipres]

Whenever I see threads like this, I'm always starting to wonder.

Man, are there no instructors at these guys academies to ask questions? No higher level belts? Why

Quotes like these always make me wonder, why are you even here?

 

[kupop18]

 

[Landon66]

Not using the RDLR to counter the knee slice makes me wonder what I've been doing with my life. Thanks for the vids

 

[JagRoss]

I am a knee-slice first passer, and most knee-slice passers are looking for their opponent to attempt to impose a position that is weak against the knee slice. They are looking for you to try to block with the top knee, or work for the underhook, or go to all fours (all of which can definitely work, but are late/desperation moves). That's what they want, and they have an array of attacks they intend to use against it. To properly defend the knee slice, you need to get out of that late defensive mindset and into a mindset that aggressively establishes a proper offensive guard with correct distance against it. This requires, at minimum, that both of your hands and both of your legs are taking proper grips/controls against your opponent.

Just wondering, what are your go to options when they try to block with the top knee?

I normally either:

a. If I have a solid underhook I just smash his knees together and pass.

b. If I've just entered/entering the position I'll push his knee back with my hand/hands and complete the knee slide.

I've been messing around with stiff arming the shoulder with the lapel grip and can normally pass without any problems if he tries to trap me in half guard.
The issue I've been having is when he brings the top knee in and moves his body back removing my angle when I'm stiff arming his shoulder, and I was wondering if you had any solutions when trying the more upright style of knee cut.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

I go for singles all day on knee slides, watch Lucas Leites matches to see the master at work.

Also just grabbing your bottom knee with your arm will elevate the leg and make it hard to slide over.

 

[Zankou]

Just wondering, what are your go to options when they try to block with the top knee?

I normally either:

a. If I have a solid underhook I just smash his knees together and pass.

b. If I've just entered/entering the position I'll push his knee back with my hand/hands and complete the knee slide.

I've been messing around with stiff arming the shoulder with the lapel grip and can normally pass without any problems if he tries to trap me in half guard.
The issue I've been having is when he brings the top knee in and moves his body back removing my angle when I'm stiff arming his shoulder, and I was wondering if you had any solutions when trying the more upright style of knee cut.

If you have a solid underhook, you usually want to pass leandro lo style, put your face on the mat next to your opponent's face, smash him flat as a bug, hips lifting up in a tripod, flattening the guy out and walking your leg free. There is no knee blocking in that scenario.

It's a somewhat different pass if you just have the lapel, which is more common, and is really the true "knee slide." That can be blocked with the top knee, which the bottom player uses to make space and reguard. Usually he wants to practically turtle, while keeping that top knee across, then reguard aggressively.

So what I do to counter is precisely this pass. You must do it precisely as Rafa shows or it won't work. You need that lapel grip and to put your head on his far shoulder/chest.

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[Murdoch]

This latest issue of Jiu Jitsu Style Magazine (with Galvao and JT on the cover) has a good section on defending this pass. It's a bit of a shameless plug as OpenMatRadio sponsors that technique section each issue.

 

[gocubs1815]

First thing to do is simply stop the knee from cutting up. When you see it coming put one hand on top the other and frame out on his knee. Same way you would frame out on a hip and shrimp away if you were trying to mount escape. That will at least stop the cut then you can counter attack with a sweep. I know one but its hard to describe.