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Tomoe Nage from Closed Guard

SweepThrow from guardBelt: blue+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

Tomoe Nage from closed guard is a dynamic sweep that uses a judo-style sacrifice throw to off-balance a standing opponent and transition directly to mount. It is an effective answer to opponents who posture or stand to break closed guard, and can catch even experienced passers off guard.

Start
Closed guard, opponent standing
End
Top / mount
Prerequisites: Breaking opponent posture · Collar grip control · Hip elevation with feet · Basic kuzushi · Pendulum motion from guard

Steps

  1. 1
    Secure strong collar and sleeve grips
    From closed guard with opponent standing, establish a deep cross-collar grip (gi) or collar tie (no-gi) with your right hand and a sleeve grip (gi) or wrist control (no-gi) with your left. Pull their posture forward to disrupt balance.
  2. 2
    Open your guard and place your foot on their hip
    Release your legs and place your right foot on their left hip, toes pointed outward, to create distance and prepare for elevation.
  3. 3
    Angle your hips and slide under their base
    Shift your hips slightly to your left and scoot your body underneath your opponent so your hips are directly under their center of gravity. Keep your left knee bent and ready to swing.
  4. 4
    Load their weight and initiate kuzushi
    Pull hard with your collar and sleeve grips, simultaneously pushing with your right foot on their hip to load their weight onto you. Your opponent’s weight should begin to tip forward.
  5. 5
    Insert your left foot to the centerline
    As you load them, bring your left foot to the center of their belt line (or lower abdomen), sole pointing up, preparing to act as the elevator for the throw.
  6. 6
    Execute the tomoe nage throw
    Drive your left foot upward and slightly backward in an arc while pulling with your grips, extending your body to launch your opponent overhead. Maintain your grips throughout.
  7. 7
    Follow through to mount
    As your opponent flips, keep your grips and use the momentum to sit up and follow them, bringing your knees wide to land directly into mount. Release grips only after establishing top control.

Key details most people miss

  • The collar/sleeve (or collar tie/wrist) grip must be tight and actively pulling to break posture and prevent the opponent from basing out.
  • Your hips must be directly under their center of gravity—too far away and you lose leverage, too close and you can't generate lift.
  • The elevator foot (left) must be placed precisely at or below the belt line, not on the chest or too low on the thigh, to ensure correct trajectory.
  • Timing the lift as their weight shifts forward is critical—initiate as they begin to lean, not after they've stabilized.
  • Keep your head tucked and chin down to avoid head impact and maintain connection for the follow-through.

Common mistakes

  • If you place your elevator foot too high on their torso, the opponent will collapse onto you instead of flipping.
  • If you fail to angle your hips under their center, you will not generate enough leverage and the opponent can sprawl or base out.
  • If you let go of the grips too early, you lose control and may end up in a scramble or lose mount.
  • If you try to throw before breaking their posture, the opponent can post their hand and pass your guard.
  • If you do not keep your head tucked, you risk hitting the mat or losing follow-through to mount.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent posts their free hand to the mat to base out.
You do: Switch to a triangle setup by shooting your left leg over their posted arm and locking your legs as they post.
They try: Opponent drops their hips low and sprawls backward.
You do: Transition to a technical stand-up or attack a single leg as you follow their retreating movement.
They try: Opponent rotates their body to the side to avoid being thrown straight overhead.
You do: Redirect their momentum by angling your elevator foot and pulling them diagonally, converting to a pendulum sweep.
They try: Opponent grips your pants or ankles to control your legs.
You do: Break their grips by circling your knees outward and re-establishing inside position before initiating the throw.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 min; alternating partners; 50% resistance; goal: 5 clean sweeps to mount per round (must land with both knees in mount and maintain top for 3 seconds).

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Saulo Ribeiro — Emphasizes breaking opponent posture and precise hip angle for maximum leverage in gi.Marcelo Garcia — Focuses on no-gi adaptation using collar ties and wrist control, with seamless transitions to back attacks.Leandro Lo — Known for aggressive grip fighting and chaining tomoe nage with other open guard sweeps.Rickson Gracie — Stresses timing and whole-body connection, using the throw as a reactive counter to standing guard breaks.
#closed-guard#sweep#sacrifice-throw#gi#no-gi#mount-entry#dynamic#against-standing#explosive#medium-risk