X-Pass

PassStanding open-guard passBelt: white+Risk: moderateIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

The X-Pass is a dynamic, standing open-guard pass that uses a combination of grips and a lateral step to bypass the opponent's legs and establish side control. It is highly effective against seated and supine guards, especially when the opponent plays a shin-shin or ankle guard. Its speed and angle change make it a staple for both gi and no-gi competition.

Start

Standing vs open guard

End

Side control

Prerequisites: Standing posture in open guard · Controlling the opponent's ankles · Posting on the opponent's shin · Basic side control stabilization

Steps

1
Establish Standing Base and Distance
Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and maintain a straight posture. Use your lead hand to post on the opponent's near shin with a stiff-arm, palm or C-grip, while your rear hand controls their far ankle or pant cuff (or heel in no-gi).
2
Pin the Near Shin and Control Far Ankle
Apply downward pressure with your lead hand on the opponent's shin, keeping your arm straight and shoulder engaged. Simultaneously, use your rear hand to lift or pin their far ankle to the mat, preventing guard retention.
3
Step Back and Out with Your Lead Leg
Retract your lead leg (the one closest to their shin) in a circular motion, stepping it back and slightly outward to clear your own hips from their guard range. Keep weight distributed on the balls of your feet for agility.
4
Lateral Step Across the Opponent's Body
With your lead leg now free, take a wide lateral step across the opponent's hips, aiming to land your knee or shin just above their far thigh. Your body should be angled at roughly 45° to their torso.
5
Drive Chest Forward and Drop Hips
As you step across, drive your chest forward and down toward their upper body, keeping your hips low and weight chest-heavy. Release the shin post and transition your lead hand to an underhook or cross-face grip.
6
Secure Cross-Face and Underhook
Once your hips clear their legs, establish a cross-face with your near-side arm (forearm across their jaw, cupping the far shoulder) and dig your far-side arm for an underhook. Sprawl your hips to prevent re-guarding.
7
Settle into Side Control
Square your base, flatten your hips, and widen your knees for stability. Adjust grips as needed to solidify side control, ensuring your opponent’s hips are pinned and their near arm is isolated.

Key details most people miss

The shin post must be stiff and active—if your arm bends or floats, the opponent can invert or recover guard.
The lateral step should be explosive and wide; timid or short steps allow the opponent to catch your leg.
Angle your chest toward the opponent's head, not their hips, to prevent them from framing and reguarding.
Release the shin post at the moment your hips clear their knee line to avoid entanglement or leg attacks.

Common mistakes

If you step too shallowly across the hips, the opponent can insert a knee shield or recover guard.
If you fail to control the far ankle, the opponent frames and squares up, blocking your pass.
If your shin post is loose, the opponent can underhook your leg and enter single-leg X or Ashi Garami.
If you drop your hips before clearing their knee line, you get entangled in half guard.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent underhooks your stepping leg for single-leg X entry

You do: Immediately retract your leg and staple their shin with your knee, switching to a knee-cut or backstep pass.

They try: Opponent frames against your chest with their far arm as you step across

You do: Redirect your chest pressure diagonally toward their head and swim for a cross-face before settling.

They try: Opponent turns in and turtles as you pass

You do: Follow with your chest, establish a seatbelt grip, and transition to back control or front headlock.

They try: Opponent inverts under your shin post

You do: Backstep your lead leg and switch to a leg drag or back take, keeping your weight centered.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 min, alternating roles; passer must complete 5 clean X-Passes per round with 50% resistance, tracking successful side control stabilizations for each attempt.

How the masters teach it

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

Lucas Lepri — Emphasizes precision grip placement and explosive lateral step for no-gi and gi applications.Leandro Lo — Favors a fast, upright X-Pass with heavy shin posting and immediate knee cut follow-ups.Andre Galvao — Integrates X-Pass with dynamic movement chains, often combining with toreando and long-step passes.Rafael Mendes — Focuses on grip fighting and angle changes to neutralize guard retention during the X-Pass.

#standing#open-guard#side-control#gi#no-gi#explosive#long-limbed#passing#competition#dynamic