Wrestling to BJJ: Short Version

By BJJWithADHD

- 4 minutes read - 826 words
Work in progress as I add videos

My experience as a state placer in high school wrestling was that you can be pretty good at wrestling with only 4-5 moves.

This guide is my attempt to give you a winning BJJ game in the simplest, shortest way possible with 4-5 common things you need to know. I’m assuming you already have a good takedown in your arsenal, so I won’t cover that. Here are the common things you need to know:

With these 5 concepts you can score 3 points for passing guard and 2 points for sweeping from guard (getting on top) and win most matches on points. The escapes will get you out of common trouble spots.

I’ve also written a longer guide about transitioning from wrestling to BJJ once you graduate from the one you’re reading now.

Top

Pin their hips or pin their shoulders to pass

  • Guillotine pass.
  • Hip Switch pass.
  • Bernardo Faria over/under pass.

As a wrestler you will end up in top position a lot. Your goal should be to funnel the top position to half guard.

If you can reach their neck, then you want to attack their neck with a guillotine and use that to pass.

If they move their head away, then pass their half-guard with a hip switch pass or by using Bernardo Faria’s over/under pass to get to side control to pin them. If you hold them in side control for 3 seconds, you score 3 points. I find that these two passes work on a continuum, with the hip switch being less energy intensive.

These guard passes are perfect for wrestlers because it involves top pressure, and they keep your arms and legs out of their reach. (Wrestlers on day 1 get submitted a lot by reaching up with their arms.)

Drill these 3 passes and you should be able to score on 80%-90% of the people you face in a normal class.

3 points for passing guard plus your 2 points for the takedown should be enough to win many if not most BJJ matches 5-0.

If they put you back in guard, pass them again for another 3 points, and another, and another, etc.

I broke these 3 passes up into 2 different videos, but I think once you practice them a little bit you will see how they are all related. If you have to pick one to start, start with the hip switch pass.

Bottom

Stay on your side overpowering a limb. Turtle out of trouble.

You may not find yourself in bottom a lot as a wrestler on day 1. However, you will never become really good on top without developing a bottom game. Developing a bottom game is how you will get a look at how people attack from top. When you watch how they attack your guard, you will learn how you, too, can successfully attack variations on guard.

Funnel the bottom game to half guard. Stay on your side. Control one of their hands at all times so they can’t attack you. Wrestle up to get on top and hold it for 3 seconds to score 2 points.

Stay on your side overpowering a limb

Use control of that limb to sweep like this:

Turtle out of trouble

As soon as you feel like your guard is getting passed, turtle and reclaim guard:

Unflatten

If you get flattened into side control:

Closed Guard Escape

Control a hand and stand

As a wrestler, you will find yourself in closed guard a lot. The basic idea is to control one of their hands and stand up, letting gravity break their legs open. You have to control a hand or they will attack you. It is hard for them to attack you with only one arm.

Mount Escape

Turn to your side and scoop out the back

If you find yourself on bottom and you get mounted, this video shows you how to get out of mount. The basic idea is that you need to turn to your side, not by pushing or bumping or using muscle, but by getting your hip on the ground and then rolling to your side. If you do it right, it requires very little effort. Once on your side you control one of their hands and wait for them to bring a leg up to take your back. Scoop both arms under the leg and go out the back.

Back Escape

Break their chest to back connection

If they take your back, this video shows you how to get out of it. The basic idea is that for them to choke you, they need to have their chest on your back. Break that connection and you will have space to get on top of them.

Next Steps

Wrestler’s Guide to Starting BJJ: Long Version