Robson Moura teaches a sweep ending with an armbar. Personal archive photo.
Often in Jiu-Jitsu, when an opponent manages to open your closed guard, he ends up in half-guard, with one leg stuck between yours. What now? What do you do while he locks on to your head and starts pressuring for the pass?
The first thing to do is not let him get hold of your lapel, as decorated many-time world champion Robson Moura teaches.
While keeping the opponent at a distance by placing his knee on the opponent’s chest, Robson grabs the opponent’s left sleeve with his left hand, to prevent him from grabbing his head and bearing down his weight.
Our GMA then posts on his right elbow and uses his right knee for the leverage for the sweep. Note how he keeps hold of the sleeve—vital for keeping the opponent on the ground. Upon landing on his opponent’s shoulder, the Nova União black belt creates pressure using his hip.
Now he adjusts his hold on the arm and lies back to finish with an armbar—remembering to catch hold of the opponent’s pants to keep him from spinning in defense.
