De la Riva Sweep

The De la Riva Sweep is a versatile and effective sweep executed from the De La Riva guard. This sweep utilizes a hook around your opponent’s leg combined with grips on their collar, sleeves, or pants to destabilize their base and shift their center of gravity, forcing them to fall into a controlled position. It is particularly useful when your opponent stands or attempts to pass your Guard.

Key Principles

Angles and Hip Movement

  • Creating the right angle is critical to making the sweep effective and preventing your opponent from pressuring forward.

Hooks and Control

  • The De La Riva hook on the opponent’s leg is essential to manipulate their movement and maintain control.

Grip Fighting

  • Proper grips on the opponent’s collar, sleeve, or pants ensure control and allow you to guide their balance.

Momentum and Leverage

  • Redirecting their weight with the hook and grips creates the imbalance necessary for the sweep.

Steps to Perform the De la Riva Sweep

Set-Up the De La Riva Guard

  • Start in Open Guard with your opponent standing.
  • Place your outside leg’s De La Riva hook around their near leg, hooking your foot firmly behind their inner thigh.
  • Your inside leg should frame against their hip or thigh to control their movement.

Establish Grips

  • Grab your opponent’s far-side sleeve or pant leg with one hand to prevent them from posting.
  • Use your other hand to control their collar, lapel, or the ankle of their near leg.

Create the Angle

  • Shrimp your hips slightly to the outside (toward the De La Riva hook side) to create an angle for the sweep.
  • Use the De La Riva hook to manipulate their leg, pulling it toward you while pushing with your inside leg.

Off-Balance Your Opponent

  • Pull their sleeve or Pant Grip diagonally across your body to disrupt their posture.
  • Use your De La Riva hook to lift their leg while guiding their upper body with your grips.

Execute the Sweep

  • Continue pulling and elevating their leg with the De La Riva hook while pushing with your inside leg to topple their base.
  • Aim to rotate your opponent over their trapped leg, causing them to fall.

Follow Through to a Dominant Position

  • As they fall, come up on top by using the momentum of the sweep to transition to a dominant position, such as Side Control, Mount, or X Guard.

Variations of the De la Riva Sweep

Berimbolo Transition

  • Instead of completing the sweep, transition to the Berimbolo and take their back.

Sickle Sweep

  • Combine the De La Riva hook with a Sickle Sweep by using your inside leg to kick out their far leg while maintaining control.

Overhead Sweep

  • Pull their weight forward and use both legs to elevate them overhead before directing them to the side for the sweep.

Common Applications

Tip

The De la Riva Sweep relies heavily on precise grip fighting and hip movement. Always maintain tension with your De La Riva hook and stay active to adapt to your opponent’s reactions.

By mastering the De la Riva Sweep, you can build a strong Open Guard game that allows you to dictate the pace of the match, counter aggressive passing, and transition into dominant positions.

Positioning

The De la Riva Sweep is primarily executed from De La Riva guard but can be applied or transitioned to from various related positions and setups. Below are the key positions where the De la Riva Sweep can be effectively executed:

Primary Position

De La Riva

  • The core position for the sweep, where the outside leg Hooks around your opponent’s near leg while you control their grips and posture. This position is ideal for destabilizing their base and setting up the sweep.

Guard Transitions

From Open Guard

  • Transition into De La Riva when your opponent stands in your guard, using your Hooks and grips to control their movement and posture.

From Closed Guard

  • Open your guard and transition to De La Riva, especially when your opponent stands to open your Closed Guard.

From Butterfly Guard

  • If your opponent postures or stands to avoid a sweep, transition to De La Riva by placing your outside leg into the De La Riva hook.

From X Guard

  • Transition from X Guard to De La Riva when your opponent adjusts their stance, allowing you to capitalize on their posture with the sweep.

Defensive Positions

Opponent Attempting Toreando Pass

  • Use the De La Riva hook and grips to counter the Toreando pass by redirecting their momentum into a sweep.

Opponent Attempting Guard Passes/Knee Cut Pass

  • Establish the De La Riva hook on their lead leg to block their movement and execute the sweep.

Opponent Pressuring in Combat Base

  • When your opponent kneels in Combat Base, you can hook their lead leg with the De La Riva guard and perform the sweep by disrupting their balance.

Standing or Semi-Standing Scenarios

Opponent Standing in Your Guard

  • When your opponent stands to break your Guard, transition to De La Riva and execute the sweep by controlling their base and posture.

Opponent Leaning Forward to Pass

  • Use their forward pressure to create opportunities for the sweep by combining the De La Riva hook with off-balancing grips.

Advanced Positions

Reverse De La Riva

Lapel Guard Variations

  • Use the De La Riva hook combined with lapel grips (e.g., Squid Guard) to add control and enhance your sweeping mechanics.

Counter Positions

Opponent Posting to Defend

  • If your opponent posts their hand or adjusts their stance to resist, transition to secondary attacks like the Berimbolo or combine the De la Riva Sweep with other sweeps like the Sickle Sweep.
Tip

The De la Riva Sweep thrives in positions where your opponent is standing, semi-standing, or attempting dynamic passes. Maintaining strong grip fighting and tension with your De La Riva hook is essential to control their movement and execute the sweep effectively.

By understanding these positional opportunities, you can seamlessly integrate the De la Riva Sweep into your game, making it a reliable tool for countering aggression and creating offensive transitions.

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