“Coach, how do I get out of my opponent’s side control? I’m always getting stuck there and can’t get out!”
“Don’t get there.”
More than just a facetious remark, there is truth in this. The trouble for the questioner began way before the side control. The guy on bottom could have prevented the guard pass and avoided the entire situation.
A common way to pass guard is the torreando pass — i.e., the bullfighter pass. It gets its name from the fact that the passer’s movements resemble a bullfighter dodging a bull.
As with any pass, there are plenty of ways to stop the torreando, though. Here are three of them:
1) Seated Hand In Collar Head Guard
In this video, world-famous Tristar jiu-jitsu coach, Firas Zahabi, shows us how to keep a torreando passer at bay.
2) Collar Drag
This is one of your strongest options from seated hand-in-collar guard.
3) Trapped Arm rollover “Tootsie Roll”
This is what we call a “late stage” escape. You are too late to attempt the first two strategies and your opponent has nearly secured the pass.
