Butterfly Sweep
- BJJ
- Sweeps
- fundamental
- Butterfly guard
- 3 steps
From seated butterfly guard, underhook and use a hook to elevate the opponent over to the side. Also known as the Hook sweep or the Elevator sweep. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 3 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
When to use it
Use the butterfly sweep when the opponent kneels or squats in front of your seated butterfly guard. Get the underhook and your chest on theirs first. It works best when they lean their weight into you or reach for your legs.
Step by step
- 01
Seated butterfly guard
Sit up with both hooks (insteps) under their thighs and secure an underhook and a grip.
- 02
Load and elevate
Fall to your underhook side, lift with the same-side hook and drive your shoulder across to load them up.
- 03
Come up on top
Elevate them over your hook and follow the roll up into mount or top control.
Key details
- Get a deep underhook and keep your chest tight to theirs.
- Lift with the hook on the same side as the underhook.
- Fall to the side and use their momentum. Do not muscle them straight up.
Common mistakes
- Sitting back instead of staying chest-to-chest.
- Lifting with the wrong-side hook.
- No underhook, so they flatten you back down.
Common counters
Opponents flatten you to the mat, post the free leg wide, or pummel the underhook back. Sitting back gives them the room to do all three. Stay chest-to-chest and fall to the side as soon as you have the underhook.
How to drill it
From seated butterfly guard, sweep your partner and come up on top, then switch roles, ten reps on each side. Then do three rounds of one minute where your partner fights for the underhook.
Related techniques
- Scissor SweepBJJLoad a shin across the body and scissor the legs to sweep the opponent and come up on top.
- Hip Bump SweepBJJSit up, reach over the shoulder and bump your hips to roll the opponent over into mount.
- Flower SweepBJJControl a sleeve and a leg and swing your legs like a pendulum to sweep them over and come up on top.
Train it with the AI coach