Kiss of the Dragon Sweep

The Kiss of the Dragon Sweep is an advanced technique primarily executed from De La Riva or Reverse De La Riva. It involves a dynamic inversion to spin underneath your opponent, bypassing their base and transitioning to their back or into a dominant sweeping position. The sweep takes advantage of your opponent’s forward pressure or misalignment to create an opening for a highly effective and often unexpected reversal.

Key Principles

Inversion and Angles

  • The sweep relies on precise hip movement and inversion to spin underneath your opponent and attack their base.

Grip Fighting

  • Proper grips on their sleeve, collar, or pants are crucial to control their posture and prevent them from escaping.

Leverage

Timing

  • The sweep works best when your opponent commits forward pressure or overextends their stance.

Steps to Perform the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep

Set-Up in De La Riva Guard or Reverse De La Riva

  • Start in a De La Riva position, with your outside leg hooking your opponent’s near leg and your inside leg framing against their far leg or hip.
  • Secure grips on their sleeve, collar, or the fabric near their knee or ankle to control their posture and base.

Create the Angle

  • Shrimp your hips outward slightly, angling yourself perpendicular to your opponent.
  • Maintain tension with your De La Riva hook to off-balance them.

Initiate the Inversion

  • Pull your opponent forward with your grips while threading your head and shoulders underneath their near leg.
  • Use your free leg to assist the inversion by pushing off their far leg or hip to create rotational momentum.

Spin Underneath Your Opponent

  • Rotate your hips and torso, bringing your body completely underneath their base.
  • Your goal is to end up behind your opponent, with your legs positioned to control their hips or legs.

Sweep or Take the Back

  • Once behind your opponent, use your grips and hooks to destabilize their base:
  • Pull their legs toward you while extending your hooks to topple them.
  • Alternatively, climb to Back Control by inserting both hooks and securing a seatbelt grip.

Transition to a Dominant Position

Variations of the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep

Back Take Variation

  • Instead of sweeping, continue the inversion and climb to Back Control by securing your opponent’s hips and establishing hooks.

Sweep to X Guard

Transition to Berimbolo

Common Applications

Against a Standing Opponent

  • The Kiss of the Dragon Sweep works effectively when your opponent is standing and attempting to pass your guard.

Counter to Toreando Pass

  • Use the inversion to escape their forward pressure and spin underneath to attack their back or base.

In Combination with Other De la Riva Sweep

  • Use the sweep as part of a chain attack when traditional De La Riva sweeps are defended.
Tip

The Kiss of the Dragon Sweep requires precise timing, tight connections, and smooth hip movement. Practice the inversion mechanics to ensure fluid transitions and avoid losing control during the spin.

By mastering the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep, you can turn your opponent’s forward pressure into a dynamic attack, leading to dominant positions like Back Control or effective sweeps to control the pace of the match.

Positioning

The Kiss of the Dragon Sweep is most commonly executed from positions where you can establish a De La Riva or Reverse De La Riva. Its mechanics, which involve inversion and tight connections, also make it adaptable from other guards and situations where your opponent’s base is exposed. Below are the key positions where this sweep can be applied effectively:

Primary Positions

De La Riva

  • The most common starting point for the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep. Use the De La Riva hook to control their near leg, and secure grips on their sleeve, collar, or pants to off-balance them and initiate the inversion.

Reverse De La Riva

  • When your opponent adjusts their base or turns their knee outward to defend the De La Riva, transition to Reverse De La Riva and set up the sweep by threading your body underneath their leg.

Guard Variations

Single-Leg X Guard

Open Guard

Spider Guard to De La Riva

  • Transition from Spider Guard grips to a De La Riva setup, then execute the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep when your opponent’s posture allows for inversion.

Transitions and Counter Positions

Against a Standing Opponent

  • Use the sweep when your opponent is standing and attempting to pass your guard. The inversion motion allows you to bypass their legs and attack their base or back.

Counter to Toreando Pass

  • If your opponent pressures forward with a Toreando Pass, use the sweep to spin underneath them and transition to their back or a dominant position.

Counter to Guard Passes/Knee Cut Pass

  • When your opponent drives forward with a Guard Passes/Knee Cut pass, thread your body underneath their leg and execute the to reverse the position.

Dynamic and Advanced Transitions

From Berimbolo Setup

  • Combine the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep with Berimbolo mechanics to seamlessly transition to Back Control.

From Failed De La Riva Sweep

  • If your opponent widens their stance or regains posture after defending a traditional De La Riva Sweep, transition to the by spinning underneath.

From X Guard

  • If your opponent defends by stepping back or shifting their weight, transition into the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep to invert and destabilize them.

Submission Threats and Combinations

With Back Takes

  • Use the sweep to transition directly into Back Control if your opponent’s hips are exposed during the inversion.

Submission Setup

  • Threaten a sweep to force your opponent to post, then transition into submissions like the Triangle Choke or Armbar.
Tip

The Kiss of the Dragon Sweep is most effective when your opponent applies forward pressure or overextends their base. Ensure tight connections and smooth inversion to maintain control during the spin.

By integrating the Kiss of the Dragon Sweep into these positions, you gain a dynamic tool to attack your opponent’s back or base and maintain an aggressive offensive strategy.

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