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Tripod Smash Pass

PassButterfly-guard passBelt: blue+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

The Tripod Smash Pass is a pressure-based guard pass used to flatten and neutralize the butterfly guard by pinning the opponent’s knees together and driving your weight forward. It is highly effective against active butterfly players, enabling direct progression to side control while minimizing exposure to sweeps or submissions.

Start
Top of butterfly guard
End
Side control
Prerequisites: Posture maintenance in butterfly guard · Cross-face control · Establishing an underhook · Hip switching from top · Tripod base formation

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish a Wide Tripod Base
    From the top of butterfly guard, post both hands on the opponent’s hips and widen your knees outside their feet, toes engaged for base.
  2. 2
    Pin the Knees Together
    Slide your chest forward and collapse your elbows inward, pinning their knees together with your forearms while keeping your hips elevated.
  3. 3
    Cross-Face and Underhook
    Reach across with your far arm for a deep cross-face (cupping the head or shoulder), while your near arm underhooks their far-side thigh or hip.
  4. 4
    Drive Forward With Hip Pressure
    Shift your weight forward, dropping your hips toward their shins while maintaining the tripod base, forcing their knees to their chest and flattening their upper body.
  5. 5
    Switch Your Hips to One Side
    Rotate your hips toward the underhook side, bringing your knee to the mat outside their hip and sliding your cross-face arm deeper for head control.
  6. 6
    Clear the Near-Side Hook
    Use your posted foot to windshield-wiper your leg back and out, freeing it from their butterfly hook while keeping pressure with your chest and head.
  7. 7
    Settle Into Side Control
    Slide your freed knee across their hips, establish a tight cross-face and underhook, and settle your weight chest-to-chest for side control.

Key details most people miss

  • Pinning the knees together with your forearms prevents the opponent from reestablishing inside hooks or elevating you.
  • Maintaining a tripod base (hips high, knees wide, toes engaged) keeps your center of gravity low and stable against sweeps.
  • The cross-face must be deep and active, turning their head away to break their alignment and flatten their shoulders.
  • Switching your hips before clearing the hook prevents the opponent from regaining guard or attacking submissions.

Common mistakes

  • Failing to pin the knees allows the opponent to reinsert hooks and elevate you into sweeps.
  • Letting your hips drop too early exposes you to butterfly sweeps or leg entanglements.
  • Neglecting the cross-face gives the opponent space to turn in and recover guard.
  • Trying to clear the hook before switching hips often results in getting stuck in half guard.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent frames hard on your shoulders and stiff-arms your chest
You do: Redirect your weight to collapse their frames by angling your cross-face arm higher and driving your shoulder into their jawline.
They try: Opponent scoots their hips out and reestablishes inside butterfly hooks
You do: Widen your knees, re-pin their knees together with your forearms, and reset the tripod base before advancing again.
They try: Opponent underhooks your far leg to attempt a single leg sweep
You do: Sprawl your hips back, pummel your underhook deeper, and redirect your knee to the mat outside their hip.
They try: Opponent attempts a butterfly sweep as you drive forward
You do: Keep your hips elevated, base wide, and angle your weight slightly toward the cross-face side to nullify elevation.

Drill prescription

5 rounds × 3 minutes; 60% resistance; passer must achieve side control via tripod smash pass at least 3 times per round, switching top/bottom each round.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Lucas Lepri — Emphasizes relentless hip switching and deep cross-face pressure to flatten the butterfly guard.John Danaher — Focuses on tripod base mechanics and knee pinning to systematically nullify elevation and hooks.Bernardo Faria — Integrates the smash pass with half guard transitions, prioritizing pressure and incremental control.Leandro Lo — Utilizes dynamic tripod passing with active knee slides to counter aggressive butterfly players.
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