The De La Riva Berimbolo to Back is an advanced open-guard inversion sequence that transitions from De La Riva guard to a rolling inversion, ultimately taking the opponent's back. This technique is crucial for modern guard players, offering a high-percentage route to dominant control and submission opportunities against standing or kneeling opponents.
Start
De La Riva guard
End
Back take
Prerequisites: De La Riva hook retention · Basic inversion mechanics · Cross grip on ankle/pant · Technical stand-up · Shoulder roll
Steps
1
Establish De La Riva guard with cross grip
From seated, insert your outside leg as a deep De La Riva hook around opponent’s far leg; grip their far ankle or pants with your same-side hand and secure a cross grip on their far-side pants or belt with your other hand.
2
Control far hip and begin inversion
Release your non-De La Riva foot to post on the mat, then reach your free hand to grip their far-side hip or belt, pulling yourself underneath while tucking your head to the inside of their shin.
3
Invert and bring hips under opponent
Roll onto your shoulders, keeping your knees tight to your chest and your De La Riva hook engaged; use your grips to pull your hips directly under their base, aiming for your hips to face their feet.
4
Switch to leg drag position
As you invert, kick your De La Riva hook leg through and across their far thigh, while using your grips to drag their far leg across your body; your bottom leg should thread between their legs, and your top leg posts to block their far hip.
5
Control opponent’s hips and begin back exposure
Release the ankle grip and switch to a seatbelt grip or double underhooks around their hips; use your top leg to block their far-side hip, preventing them from turning back into you.
6
Climb to the back
Use your hooks and seatbelt grip to pull yourself up behind them; insert your first hook (usually the bottom leg) as you come up, then bring your second hook over their hip as you drag them onto their side.
7
Secure both hooks and establish back control
Once both hooks are in, flatten your opponent by extending your legs and tightening your seatbelt grip; adjust your chest-to-back connection and head position to prevent escapes.
Key details most people miss
Keep your knees tightly compressed to your chest during the inversion to minimize space and prevent opponent from sprawling.
The initial cross grip on the far-side pants or belt is critical for controlling their hip and preventing them from stepping away.
During the inversion, your hips must pass fully under their center of gravity—if you invert too shallow, you’ll end up in a scramble instead of behind them.
Blocking their far hip with your top leg as you come up is essential to stop them from turning back into you or re-guarding.
Common mistakes
Failing to keep the De La Riva hook engaged during inversion allows the opponent to step out and disengage.
Inverting too far away from their base results in losing hip connection and getting stuck underneath.
Letting go of the cross grip too early enables the opponent to rotate and face you, killing the back take.
Not blocking the far hip with your top leg allows the opponent to re-square and escape the back exposure.
Counters & responses
They try: Opponent drops their hips low and sprawls back
You do: Switch to technical stand-up, using the ankle grip to off-balance and wrestle up to single leg.
They try: Opponent turns their knee out to kill the De La Riva hook
You do: Switch to kiss of the dragon entry by threading your bottom leg and attacking the far leg for a back take or sweep.
They try: Opponent posts hand on your hip to block inversion
You do: Break the post by circling your free leg over their arm (lacing) and re-establishing inside position before re-inverting.
They try: Opponent spins with the inversion to face you
You do: Switch to the crab ride and use your grips to redirect their hips, re-attacking the back as they try to turn.
Drill prescription
6 rounds × 2 min each; partner starts in combat base, moderate resistance; goal: 4 clean back takes per round, with both hooks and seatbelt established before reset.
How the masters teach it
Mendes Brothers
Pioneered the berimbolo as a back-taking system, emphasizing tight hip control and seamless transitions from DLR to back.
Guilherme and Rafael Mendes (Mendes Bros)
Mikey Musumeci
Refined the inversion mechanics for smaller grapplers, focusing on grip retention and micro-adjustments for high-percentage back exposure.