A pressure pass that slices the knee through the guard and settles in side control.
The knee slice (knee cut) pass drives your lead knee through the opponent's guard while your other leg backsteps for base. You control their far hip with your hand and use crossface pressure to flatten them. The knee slice is considered the most important guard pass in BJJ because it works from nearly every guard — half guard, butterfly, DLR, and more. It's the first pass most competitors develop to a high level and chains beautifully with other passes.
Key points
- Control the upper body before cutting through
- Angle the knee across the hip line, not straight forward
- Clear the bottom leg before settling chest pressure
Common mistakes
- Trying to cut with no upper body control
- Leaving hips too tall and light
- Stopping halfway and getting re-guarded
Common reactions
- Bottom player frames and re-guards
- Bottom player turns in for underhook battle
Position Flow
Details
Type
pass
Difficulty
beginner
Ruleset
Gi & No-Gi
Tags
pass, fundamental, pressure, versatile