Sickle Sweep

The Sickle Sweep is a versatile and effective sweep executed from Open Guard or De La Riva. It uses a combination of grip fighting, leverage, and angles to destabilize your opponent by attacking their legs, forcing them to fall backward or sideways. The name comes from the motion of your sweeping leg, which resembles the arc of a sickle. The sweep is particularly effective against a standing opponent and serves as both a primary attack and a counter to passing attempts.

Key Principles

Breaking Base

Grip Fighting and Control

  • Grips on your opponent’s ankles, sleeves, or pants prevent them from regaining balance.

Leverage and Hip Movement

  • Using your sweeping leg in combination with the pulling action of your grips generates the power needed to topple your opponent.

Timing

  • The sweep is most effective when your opponent’s weight shifts forward, backward, or to one side.

Steps to Perform the Sickle Sweep

Set-Up in Open Guard

  • Start in an Open Guard position with your opponent standing or attempting to pass.
  • Place one foot on their hip or thigh, and the other foot is free to sweep.

Secure Grips

  • Grip both of your opponent’s ankles, or grab one ankle and their sleeve or pants for additional control.
  • These grips prevent them from stepping out or stabilizing during the sweep.

Position Your Feet

  • Use one foot on their hip, thigh, or shin to frame and maintain distance.
  • Position your free foot near their opposite ankle or shin, ready to execute the sweeping motion.

Initiate the Sweep

  • Push with the foot on their hip or thigh while simultaneously using your free leg to sweep their other leg in a circular, sickle-like motion.
  • Pull with your grips to guide their upper body and legs in the direction of the sweep.

Follow Through

  • As your opponent falls, maintain control of their legs to prevent them from recovering base.
  • Use the momentum to transition into a dominant position, such as Mount or Side Control.

Variations of the Sickle Sweep

De La Riva Sickle Sweep

  • From De La Riva, replace the De La Riva hook with a sweeping motion to target your opponent’s opposite leg.

Reverse Sickle Sweep

  • Reverse the direction of the sweep to counter opponents who adjust their base by stepping back or leaning heavily to one side.

Spider Guard Sickle Sweep

  • From Spider Guard, use your foot on their bicep to control posture while executing the sickle motion with your free leg.

Single-Leg X Sickle Sweep

  • If your opponent defends the Single-Leg X Guard by standing, transition into a sickle motion to sweep their free leg.

Common Applications

Against Standing Opponents

  • The Sickle Sweep is highly effective when your opponent stands to pass your guard or break grips.

Countering Guard Passes

Dynamic Sweeping Chains

Submission and Transition Opportunities

With Leg Lock Entries

To X Guard

  • If the sweep fails or your opponent posts, transition into X Guard for another attack sequence.

Back Take Opportunity

  • If your opponent turns away during the sweep, follow their movement to secure Back Control.
Tip

The Sickle Sweep works best when you time the sweeping motion with your opponent’s weight shift or movement. Precise grip fighting and smooth coordination of your feet and hips are critical for success.

Positioning

The Sickle Sweep can be executed from a variety of guard positions where you can use grip fighting, leverage, and sweeping motion to destabilize your opponent’s base. Below is a breakdown of the positions where the Sickle Sweep can be effectively applied:

Primary Guard Positions

Open Guard

  • The Sickle Sweep is most commonly performed from Open Guard against a standing opponent. Control their ankles or legs to initiate the sweep.

De La Riva

  • Replace the De La Riva hook with the sweeping motion of your foot to off-balance your opponent and execute the sweep.

Guard Variations

Spider Guard

  • Use a foot on their bicep to control their posture while executing the sickle motion with your free leg targeting their ankle or shin.

Single-Leg X Guard

  • From Single-Leg X Guard, if your opponent adjusts their posture or steps back, transition into a Sickle Sweep by attacking their free leg.

Reverse De La Riva

  • Use the reverse hook for control while positioning your free foot to execute the sweeping motion.

X Guard

  • Incorporate the Sickle Sweep when transitioning from X Guard to attack their standing base.

Counter and Defensive Positions

Against Standing Opponents

Combat Base Counter

  • If your opponent kneels in Combat Base (one knee up, one knee down), use the Sickle Sweep to target their posted leg and disrupt their balance.

Countering Guard Passes

  • When your opponent attempts aggressive passes like the Toreando Pass or Leg Drag Pass, the sweep can counter their forward momentum by sweeping their trailing leg.

Dynamic Transitions

From a Failed Tripod Sweep

  • If your opponent defends the Tripod Sweep by adjusting their base or stepping back, transition into a Sickle Sweep to continue the attack.

From Guard Recovery

Submission Transitions

  • If your opponent defends a leg attack or submission like a Straight Ankle Lock, transition into a Sickle Sweep by controlling their leg.

Submission and Transition Opportunities

Leg Lock Entries

Back Take

  • If your opponent turns away during the sweep, follow their movement to secure Back Control.

Guard Advancement

  • Use the sweep to transition into Mount, Side Control, or another dominant position.
Tip

The Sickle Sweep works best when your opponent’s base is compromised or their weight shifts, such as during a passing attempt or forward movement. Proper grips and smooth coordination of your sweeping leg and pulling motion are essential.

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