I’ve been looking back through the archives of side control to try and recall more about the first guard pass I ever learned--and the one that Rodrigo has been shouting at me from the sidelines for more than a year now. I was trying to think of a name for it, in the same way that I’ve got the Saulo ground pass, the Cesar standing pass, the PTMU (a version of the Cesar standing pass), and now the Sperry ground pass. I had wanted to call it the “Rodrigo”, but that’s too many syllables and doesn’t flow like I want it to. I could use his last name and call it the “Lopes.” But that’s doesn’t quite work for me, either.
So I think I’ve got one: GTS, as in the GTS standing pass, as in “grab the sleeve”—because that’s the defining difference.
The GTS pass is very similar to the Cesar pass. The difference is that the Cesar pass has you grab the lapels with both hands, one higher up on the chest, the other lower down on the stomach (or even grabbing the belt or the pants high up on the inner thigh), while the GTS pass has you control the collars with one hand and grab the sleeve with the other.
The nice thing about the GTS pass is that it deals with one of the biggest problems I have about standing guard passes. As soon as I stand up, the guy on the bottom usually underhooks my lower leg and begins to attack my base. With the GTS pass, you’ve got control of one arm that would otherwise attack your legs. When you step back with the opposite leg and begin to push down on the knee on that other side, you take your other leg out of reach. It really makes for an awkward sweep effort—and you’re busying passing his guard all the while.
So, here’s the GTS, step by step:
Fight for the collars with both hands.
When you’ve got the collars, transfer them to one hand (right).
Chase down the guy’s right sleeve with your other hand (left).
(Note: if you can’t catch the sleeve, then transition to the Cesar or PTMU passes.)
Now, you’ve got the collars and the sleeve. Step up with the leg on the sleeve side.
Step up with the other leg, but keep it back with the foot facing out (perpendicular).
Push down on the knee as you to step back, circling backward as with the Saulo pass.
From here, either:
1. Drop the outside knee. Hook the head and backstep with the inside leg. Control the far side leg at the knee to keep him from rolling over on top of you.
2. Drop the inside knee. Swing your outside leg around and move into side control or look for an opportunity to go right into knee on belly.
