Butterfly Guard

Last updated: April 12, 2026

What is the butterfly guard?

The butterfly guard (also called the hooks guard, or guarda de gancho in Portuguese) is a seated open guard position used in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA. The fighter on the bottom sits upright and places both feet, or “hooks,” inside the opponent’s thighs. This hooking action gives the guard its name, since the bent-leg position resembles a butterfly stretch.

The position traces back to judo, where it developed from throwing techniques like the tomoe nage (sacrifice throw). When judo migrated to Brazil through Mitsuyo Maeda in the early 20th century, the guard came with it. Brazilian academies picked it up during the 1980s. Grapplers like Sergio Bolao began innovating sweeps from the position in that era, and the guard gained further traction after the Confederacao Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu (CBJJ) was established in the 1990s (LowKick MMA). Jean Jacques Machado and Renzo Gracie turned it into a go-to competition position. Then came Marcelo Garcia in the 2000s, who used the butterfly guard to dominate opponents much larger than himself at ADCC events, cementing its reputation as a guard that neutralizes size advantages (Evolve MMA).

The butterfly guard works in gi, no-gi, and MMA contexts. Its reliance on body hooks and upper body grips rather than clothing makes it especially effective in no-gi grappling, where traditional gi grips are unavailable.

How the butterfly guard works

The position functions like a two-directional lever. The fighter’s feet, hooked inside the opponent’s thighs, create an upward lifting force. At the same time, upper body grips (such as underhooks, overhooks, or collar ties) pull the opponent’s torso in a chosen direction. When the hooks lift one way, and the grips pull the other, the opponent loses balance. In grappling, this off-balancing principle is called kuzushi.

Staying seated and upright is important for generating sweep power. A fighter lying flat on their back has fewer angles to attack from, while sitting up allows them to drive forward, fall sideways, or drop back with force. The butterfly guard also demands constant movement. Unlike the closed guard, where a fighter can lock their legs and slow the pace, the butterfly guard requires active attacks. Pausing gives the opponent time to disengage or pass the guard entirely.

From this position, the most common attack is the hook sweep (also called sumi gaeshi), where one hook elevates the opponent while the fighter turns to one side and uses their grips to pull the opponent over. The guard also connects to other positions: transitioning to X-guard when the opponent stands, shifting to half butterfly guard when one hook gets trapped, or setting up submissions like guillotine chokes and armlocks when the opponent’s posture breaks down.

Butterfly guard vs closed guard

These two guards get compared often because they represent different philosophies of bottom-game control.

In the closed guard, the bottom fighter locks their legs behind the opponent’s back. This keeps the opponent trapped at close range and limits their ability to posture up, strike, or create distance. The trade-off is reduced mobility for the guard player, who must unlock their legs before attempting most sweeps or submissions.

The butterfly guard takes the opposite approach. The hooks sit inside the opponent’s thighs without locking, which means the guard player can move freely and attack from multiple angles. Sweeps happen faster because the hooks already function as levers, and transitions to other guards are immediate. The downside is less control over the opponent’s movement. A strong or athletic opponent can sometimes power through the hooks and pass.

Feature	Butterfly guard	Closed guard
Leg position	Hooks inside opponent’s thighs	Legs locked behind opponent’s back
Mobility	High; free to attack and transition	Low; must unlock legs to attack
Sweep potential	High; hooks provide built-in leverage	Moderate; requires opening the guard first
Defensive control	Lower; opponent can disengage	Higher; opponent is trapped in close range
Best use in MMA	Creating space, standing up, quick sweeps	Neutralizing ground-and-pound, stalling

Butterfly guard in MMA

In mixed martial arts, the butterfly guard fills a specific tactical role that differs from its use in pure grappling. The primary goal is usually to get back on the feet or reverse position, not to play guard for extended periods.

When a fighter gets taken down, inserting butterfly hooks is one of the fastest ways to create enough space to stand back up. The hooks prevent the top fighter from settling their weight, and a well-timed elevation can dump them to the side entirely. That matters against ground-and-pound. The butterfly guard lets the bottom fighter control distance and mess with the top fighter’s posture, which reduces the power behind incoming strikes (Ringsidereport.net).

The position does carry risk in MMA. Because the legs are not locked around the opponent, the bottom fighter remains more exposed to strikes than in closed guard. Fighters who use butterfly guard in MMA tend to attack immediately after establishing hooks rather than holding the position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the butterfly guard good for beginners?

Yes. The basic hook sweep is one of the first techniques taught in most BJJ programs, and the mechanics are straightforward enough for new grapplers to apply.

Does the butterfly guard work in no-gi?

It does. The guard relies on body hooks and upper body control (underhooks, overhooks, wrist grips) rather than gi grips, making it one of the most effective guards for no-gi grappling.

What submissions are available from the butterfly guard?

Common options include the guillotine choke (when the opponent drops their head), armlocks (when the opponent posts a hand to resist a sweep), and triangle chokes (when the opponent reaches back while defending).

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Sources

1. BJJ Heroes. “The Butterfly Guard.” Accessed April 2026.
2. Evolve MMA. “Attacks and Transitions from the BJJ Butterfly Guard.” Accessed April 2026.
3. LowKick MMA. “Butterfly Guard: BJJ Technique Explained.” Accessed April 2026.
4. NAGA Fighter. “What Is Butterfly Guard in BJJ?” Accessed April 2026.
5. Digitsu. “Understanding the Butterfly Guard.” Accessed April 2026.
6. Ringsidereport.net. “Guard: A Defensive Ground Position in MMA for 2026.” Accessed April 2026.
7. Wikipedia. “Guard (grappling).” Accessed April 2026.

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