Kiss of the Dragon (Inverted Back Take)

SweepInverted back takeBelt: purple+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-Only

The Kiss of the Dragon is an advanced inverted back take executed from reverse De La Riva guard, allowing the bottom player to bypass the opponent's legs and directly attack the back. This technique is highly effective against standing or combat base opponents and is prized for its ability to create back exposure with minimal risk of leg entanglement.

Start

Reverse DLR / supine

End

Back

Prerequisites: Reverse De La Riva retention · Inverting mechanics · Underhooking the far leg · Granby roll · Back control entry

Steps

1
Establish Reverse De La Riva Guard
From supine, hook your right leg around opponent’s right leg (reverse DLR) with your knee pointing outward; grip their far ankle (C-grip) with your left hand and control their near ankle or pant leg with your right hand.
2
Create Angle and Underhook Far Leg
Scoot your hips slightly underneath the opponent and thread your left arm deep under their far (left) leg, palm up, aiming to grip their far ankle or shin with a C-grip.
3
Invert Under the Opponent
Tuck your head toward their near ankle and roll onto your shoulders, using your reverse DLR hook to pull yourself under their base; keep your underhook tight and your knees close to your chest.
4
Thread Both Legs Through
As you invert, bring your left leg through the gap between their legs, then follow with your right leg, so both legs are now threaded between their legs and your hips are perpendicular to their base.
5
Bite the Hips and Control the Belt Line
Release the reverse DLR hook and clamp both your thighs around their far thigh, pinching your knees together; use your left hand to reach for their belt, hip, or far lat.
6
Pull Yourself Behind the Opponent
Use your grips and leg clamp to pull yourself behind their hips, rotating your chest to face their back; your head should now be near their far hip.
7
Establish Seatbelt and Insert Hooks
Release the ankle grip and secure a seatbelt grip (one arm over, one arm under their torso); simultaneously, insert both hooks or a body triangle to establish back control.

Key details most people miss

The initial underhook on the far leg must be deep and palm-up to prevent opponent from sprawling or backstepping.
Keep your knees tightly pinched during inversion to avoid opponent’s knee-cut or backstep counter.
Your head must stay close to the opponent’s far hip during the roll to maintain connection and avoid losing the angle.
When threading your legs, avoid letting your hips drop to the mat—stay suspended on your shoulders for maximal mobility.

Common mistakes

Failing to underhook deep enough allows the opponent to sprawl, flattening you and killing the inversion.
Letting your knees flare wide during the roll gives the opponent space to knee-cut or backstep, nullifying the back take.
Rolling with your head too far from their hip causes you to lose the angle and end up in a scramble or leg drag.
Not clamping the thighs around their far leg lets the opponent turn and face you, preventing back exposure.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent backsteps hard as you invert

You do: Switch to a berimbolo sweep by following their hips and re-gripping the near ankle to off-balance them.

They try: Opponent sprawls and posts weight on your underhook arm

You do: Retract your arm, reestablish reverse DLR, and use a shin-shin or technical stand-up to recover guard.

They try: Opponent grabs your far ankle to block inversion

You do: Free your ankle by circling your foot and use a collar drag or sit-up sweep to attack their base.

They try: Opponent sits to their own butt to defend back exposure

You do: Transition to a crab ride, maintaining hooks, and attack with a rolling back take or sweep.

Drill prescription

5 rounds × 3 minutes; partner resists at 50% by attempting to backstep or sprawl; goal is 4 clean back takes per round with both hooks established and seatbelt secured.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:

Rafael Mendes — Refined the technique for gi and no-gi, emphasizing deep underhook and dynamic inversion to counter modern passing.Mikey Musumeci — Specializes in using the Kiss of the Dragon for seamless transitions to crab ride and leg entanglements.Paulo Miyao — Known for chaining the Kiss of the Dragon with berimbolo and back attacks, especially in high-paced guard games.Leandro Lo — Utilizes the entry from seated guard, focusing on timing the inversion as the opponent stands to pass.

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