De La Riva Guard: The Position That Revolutionized Modern BJJ

By BJJ Sportswear Editorial Team
Reviewed by competitive black belts specializing in modern guard systems | Last Updated: January 9, 2026

The De La Riva guard—commonly shortened to DLR—didn’t just add another technique to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s arsenal. It fundamentally changed how the sport is played, becoming what many experts call “the mother of modern guard”. When a skinny 15-year-old started training at Carlson Gracie’s academy in 1980, he faced a brutal reality: he was getting crushed daily by some of the best guard passers in BJJ history.​

Ricardo De La Riva’s solution to this problem—an outside leg hook that made opponents wobble like pudding—transformed from desperate survival tactic into one of the most sophisticated attacking systems in grappling. According to BJJ Heroes’ comprehensive De La Riva guard documentation, this innovation became the foundation for countless modern guard variations, from the berimbolo to inverted positions that define contemporary competition.

After coaching hundreds of students through DLR development and using it extensively in my own competition career, I’ve seen firsthand why this position remains essential four decades after its creation: it combines distance control, sweeping power, and back-taking opportunities in ways no other guard can match.

Whether you’re a blue belt struggling with open guard retention or a purple belt building competition-level systems, understanding De La Riva mechanics and evolution provides offensive tools that work against any passing style.

What Is the De La Riva Guard?

The De La Riva guard occurs when the bottom player uses an outside hook around the opponent’s leg—your left leg hooking their right leg, or vice versa—while controlling grips and using the other leg to manage distance and create angles. This outside wrap distinguishes DLR from other open guards and creates the compromised base that makes the position so effective.​

From this configuration, the DLR guard provides:

• Base disruption making opponents unstable and defensive
• Sweeping leverage using the hook as a powerful off-balancing tool
• Back-taking pathways through underneath inversions and transitions
• Distance management preventing guard passes while maintaining offensive threats
• Submission opportunities including ankle locks, triangles, and armlocks

Understanding what is guard in BJJ provides foundational context for why the DLR guard’s innovation was so revolutionary—it took the guard game from static positions to dynamic, movement-based systems.

Historical Origins: From Judo to Brazilian Innovation

According to BJJ Heroes’ comprehensive De La Riva documentation, Ricardo transformed the position from survival tactic to systematic attacking platform.​

Kosen Judo’s Outside Hook

The outside leg hook existed in kosen judo before Ricardo De La Riva made it famous. Research by Bruno Schindler identified the hook in late 1970s nonatei judo competition footage, with the technique potentially created by Oda Tsunetane—the same judoka who pioneered the triangle choke.​

However, like many judo techniques that traveled to Brazil, the outside hook existed without systematic development. It was a tool occasionally used, not a complete positional system with chains of attacks, defenses, and transitions.

The position needed someone training in the perfect laboratory to unlock its full potential.

Ricardo De La Riva: Born From Necessity

In January 1980, 15-year-old Ricardo De La Riva and his brothers got into a dispute playing soccer at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. According to Ricardo De La Riva’s official BJJ Heroes biography, when they told their father what happened, he immediately enrolled them in Carlson Gracie’s academy—the most prestigious and brutal training environment in BJJ at that time.

When they told their father what happened, he immediately enrolled them in Carlson Gracie’s academy—the most prestigious and brutal training environment in BJJ at that time.​

Ricardo’s father was a Carlson Gracie fan from the vale tudo days, so the choice made sense. What he didn’t know was that he’d just placed his skinny, flexible son into a gym famous for producing the most powerful guard passers in the sport’s history.​

The Perfect Laboratory:

• Training partners included future champions and legends
• Carlson Gracie’s “Arrebentação Team” (Demolition Team) focused on aggressive passing
• Heavy, strong competitors who steamrolled traditional guards
• No mercy for smaller practitioners—adapt or quit

Ricardo didn’t stand a chance using conventional approaches. He was getting crushed, passed, and dominated by larger, stronger training partners daily. So he started experimenting.​

“Guarda Pudim” – The Pudding Guard

While training as a brown belt in the early 1980s, Ricardo discovered something interesting: when he wrapped an outside hook around his opponent’s leading leg while playing open guard, they became unstable—wobbling and struggling to maintain balance.​

His training partners noticed this strange effect and started calling it “Guarda Pudim” (Pudding Guard) because opponents would wobble like jelly when Ricardo applied the hook. The name was meant as a joke, but Ricardo saw potential.​

Training daily against world-class guard passers gave him the perfect testing ground. Every roll became an experiment. Every failure taught him how to refine the position. Slowly, the pudding guard evolved from curious anomaly into systematic attacking platform.

Ricardo earned his black belt from Carlson Gracie in 1986. By then, he’d developed the guard extensively, but it remained relatively unknown outside his academy.​

The Match That Changed Everything: De La Riva vs. Royler Gracie

In 1985, at the Copa Cantão featherweight final, Ricardo De La Riva faced Royler Gracie. This wasn’t just another match—it was a defining moment for modern BJJ.​

The Context:

• Royler Gracie was undefeated as a black belt
• Considered the best featherweight of his generation
• Few believed De La Riva had any chance of winning
• Heavy favorite to dominate the smaller Ricardo

Ricardo not only competed—he won by referee decision, using his trademark leg hook to constantly off-balance and control Royler throughout the match. The BJJ media covering the event started calling the position the “de la riva guard” to describe how Ricardo had achieved such an unlikely victory.​

The name stuck. The position exploded in popularity. And Ricardo De La Riva’s innovation officially entered BJJ history.

I’ve watched footage of that match multiple times, and you can see Royler—one of the sport’s most technical practitioners—struggling to establish his normal passing game. That’s the moment everyone realized this wasn’t just a weird guard for small guys. It was legitimate innovation.

Modern Evolution: From DLR to Everything Else

Since the mid-1980s, the De La Riva guard hasn’t stopped evolving. BJJ Fanatics’ analysis of DLR evolution documents how it became the foundation for numerous modern guard developments:​

Guard Variations Stemming From DLR:

• Reverse De La Riva (RDLR)
• De La X guard
• Single Leg X guard
• Berimbolo inversions
• Kiss of the Dragon
• Modern back-taking systems

Champions who built games around DLR include:​

• Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira
• Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” Santos
• Rafael Mendes
• Paulo and João Miyao
• Michael Langhi
• Caio Terra
• Leandro Lo

The position Ricardo developed to survive as a skinny teenager became the blueprint for modern competition BJJ. That’s why it’s called “the mother of modern guard”—nearly every contemporary guard innovation traces back to DLR mechanics.​

Why De La Riva Guard Works: The Mechanical Advantages

The Physics of the Outside Hook

The DLR hook creates biomechanical problems opponents struggle to solve. Digitsu’s technical DLR breakdown explains the mechanical principles:

Structural Disruption:

• Outside hook attacks the base from an unexpected angle
• Compromises their ability to distribute weight properly
• Makes forward pressure (their passing weapon) work against them
• Creates constant off-balancing that prevents settled passing

Leverage Multiplication:

• Your leg controlling their leg creates 1-to-1 limb control
• Hook position gives you mechanical advantage over their larger muscle groups
• Combined with grips, you control their entire body with minimal effort
• Hip elevation increases sweeping power exponentially

Distance and Angle Control:

• Free leg manages distance through posting and framing
• Can create space or close distance as needed
• Angles constantly shift, preventing opponent from settling
• Dynamic movement rather than static holding

I tell students: the DLR hook is like putting a wrench in their machine. Everything they try to do gets disrupted by this single point of control.

Versatility Across Contexts

Modern DLR guard works in every grappling scenario. 10th Planet Denver’s exploration of DLR demonstrates its no-gi applications:

Gi Competition:

• Lapel grips enhance control and create drag
• Sleeve grips prevent posting and base recovery
• Pant grips on far leg multiply sweeping leverage
• Collar grips open submission opportunities

No-Gi and MMA:

• Underhooks replace gi grips for control
• Ankle control prevents posting
• Works in 10th Planet system and other no-gi styles​
• Functions despite striking threats in MMA

Submission-Only vs. Points:

• Points competition: sweeps score and back takes score highly
• Submission-only: transitions to leg locks and back attacks
• Works defensively when protecting leads
• Functions offensively when hunting finishes

This universal applicability explains why DLR appears across all modern grappling formats—the fundamental mechanics remain effective regardless of rules or equipment.

Gateway to Dominant Positions

DLR serves as a transitional hub connecting multiple high-value positions:​

Primary DLR Objectives:

• Back takes (highest-scoring position in BJJ)
• Sweeps to top position
• Leg entanglements when opponent defends standing
• Triangle and omoplata submissions from guard
• Single leg X and X-guard entries

Taking the back is the primary objective of elite DLR players. The guard creates underneath pathways to back control that simply don’t exist from other positions—this is why modern competitors obsess over DLR mechanics.​

Understanding how the crab ride and the truck connect to DLR back-taking systems shows the modern evolution of Ricardo’s original innovation.

Core de la riva guard Mechanics and Setup

Establishing the DLR Hook

The foundation of all DLR work is the outside hook:​

Proper Hook Mechanics

• Outside leg (left leg for their right leg) wraps around their lead leg
• Your shoelaces hook on their far hip
• Calf contacts inside of their thigh
• Hook elevates their leg off the mat when active
• Constant pulling action disrupts their base

Critical Detail: The hook must be active, not passive. Dropping your shoulder to the mat and elevating your hips allows you to sink the hook as far across their body as possible, maximizing control and leverage.​

Standard DLR Guard Configuration

Classic DLR positioning with gi grips:​

Essential Elements

• DLR hook on their lead leg (shoelaces on far hip)
• Free leg posted on their opposite hip or thigh
• Same-side hand grips their pant leg near ankle
• Opposite hand controls their sleeve (prevents posting)
• Hips mobile and ready to shift angles

Grip Strategy

Grips make or break DLR effectiveness:​

Gi Grip Priorities

1. Pant grip (same side as DLR hook): Controls leg and prevents escape
2. Sleeve grip (opposite hand): Prevents posting and base recovery
3. Optional enhancements: Belt grip, collar grip, or second pant grip depending on strategy

No-Gi Adaptations​

• Ankle control replaces pant grip
• Wrist control replaces sleeve grip
• Underhooks when possible for sweeping leverage
• Head control for submission entries

In my experience, white and blue belts often neglect grip fighting from DLR. They get the hook right but allow opponents to establish their preferred grips, which neutralizes the position’s effectiveness.

Hip Positioning and Movement

Static DLR gets passed—dynamic DLR sweeps and takes backs:​

Active Hip Management

• Constantly shift angles (don’t stay directly in front)
• Elevate hips to increase hook power
• Drop shoulder to mat for deeper hook insertion
• Circle around opponent rather than staying centered
• Create momentum through movement

One of the biggest revelations in my DLR game came when a black belt told me: “Stop holding DLR. Start moving through it.” The position is a vehicle, not a destination.

Essential de la riva guard Techniques

1. Classic DLR Sweep (Ankle Pick Variation)

Evolve MMA’s guide to DLR sweeps breaks down the fundamental techniques every practitioner should master:​

Step-by-Step Execution

• Establish DLR hook with pant and sleeve grips
• Elevate their hooked leg with maximum hip extension
• Pull their far ankle toward you with pant grip
• Drive them backward over their compromised base
• Follow through to top position or mount

Why It Works: You’re attacking their base from opposite directions—pulling the far leg while elevating the near leg creates an impossible balancing problem.​

2. Back Take From DLR

The highest-value DLR attack:​

Back Taking Sequence

• From DLR position, shift angle toward their far side
• Invert underneath their hips (shoulder to mat)
• Swim your DLR hook higher onto their back
• Establish first hook while maintaining control
• Insert second hook and secure seatbelt grip
• Attack rear naked choke

Competition Reality: Taking the back scores 4 points in IBJJF and puts you in the sport’s most dominant position. This is why elite DLR players prioritize back takes over sweeps.​

3. Berimbolo

The technique that revolutionized modern competition. Learn the complete berimbolo technique breakdown and history in our dedicated guide.​

Berimbolo Mechanics

• DLR hook established with belt or back grip
• Invert underneath opponent (shoulder to mat, hips elevated)
• Roll under their hips toward their far side
• Emerge on their back with hooks establishing
• Secure back control before they recover

The berimbolo became so dominant in sport BJJ that entire games were built around it. The Miyao brothers became famous for berimbolo mastery that opponents couldn’t stop.

Modern Note: The “babybolo” variation bypasses the sweep requirement, allowing back takes even when opponent stays standing.​

4. Single Leg Takedown From Situp Guard

Transitioning DLR to wrestling:​

Wrestling Up Sequence

• From DLR, transition to situp guard (sitting up while maintaining hook)
• Technical standup while controlling their leg
• Switch DLR hook to single leg control
• Finish with any single leg variation (running the pipe, etc.)
• Common in no-gi and MMA applications

I’ve used this extensively in no-gi competition when opponents refuse to engage on the ground. It forces them to deal with your offense whether they want to or not.

5. Triangle From DLR

Upper body submission opportunity:​

Triangle Setup

• DLR established with sleeve control
• Pull their controlled arm across your centerline
• Swing free leg over their shoulder and across back of neck
• Lock triangle position
• Finish triangle or transition to armbar or omoplata

6. De La X Guard Sweep

Modified DLR with double leg control:​

De La X Mechanics

• DLR hook established against combat base
• Free leg switches from posting to hooking far leg with shoelaces
• Creates X configuration on their thigh
• Grip their belt or back with nearside hand
• Back roll over outside shoulder, taking them overhead
• Release X mid-roll and assume mount or top position

Important: Must roll over outside shoulder since they have a free hand to post. Rolling over inside shoulder lets them post and prevent the sweep.​

Modern DLR Variations and Systems

Single Leg X Guard Transition

Converting DLR to powerful leg control system. See the complete Single Leg X Guard (SLX) technique guide for sweeps, submissions, and competition strategy.

DLR to SLX

DLR hook established – Free leg switches to inside hook – Creates single leg X configuration – Execute SLX sweeps or leg attacks

Reverse de la riva guard (RDLR)

Mirrored hook configuration with different mechanical advantages:

RDLR Characteristics

• Hook wraps opposite direction (inside instead of outside)
• Creates different sweeping angles
• Particularly effective against knee cut passes
• Chains seamlessly with standard DLR

De La X Guard

Double hook control creating extreme leverage:​

Strategic Application

• Both legs creating X on single opponent leg
• Overwhelming leverage for sweeps
• Transitions well to leg locks in no-gi
• Requires precise timing against experienced passers

Sit-Up Guard From DLR

Sitting up while maintaining DLR connection:​

Purpose and Function

• Allows wrestling up to standing
• Creates different sweeping mechanics
• Works well with top gi grips (shoulder or back)
• Seamless transition between sitting and lying positions

Many DLR sweeps don’t start and end in pure DLR—they flow through situp guard and other transitional positions. This is why studying guard transitions matters as much as studying individual positions.​

Kiss of the Dragon

Inverted roll under opponent’s legs:

Mechanics

• From DLR inversion, roll completely under their legs
• Emerge behind them in back control position
• Requires flexibility and precise timing
• Popular in berimbolo-heavy games

Understanding how modern back attack systems evolved from DLR innovations helps you see the position’s true strategic value beyond individual techniques.

de la riva guard Defense and Troubleshooting

Common DLR Counters You’ll Face

Knee Slice Pass

Opponent slides knee across to cut through your guard:

Counter Strategy:

• Switch free leg to knee shield blocking their path
• Transition to De La X if they commit too heavily
• Invert underneath for back take before pass completes
• Or recover half guard if necessary

Backstep Pass

Opponent steps back and circles away from hook:

Defensive Response:

• Extend DLR hook maximally to prevent their escape
• Switch to RDLR or single leg X as they move
• Sit up and wrestle if they create too much distance
• Don’t fight losing positions—transition early

Grip Stripping

Opponent breaks your grips systematically:

Grip Fighting Solutions:

• Establish new grips immediately when broken
• Chain between different grip configurations
• Use movement to recreate grip opportunities
• Prioritize pant/ankle grip over sleeve grip if choosing

Maintaining DLR Under Pressure

Heavy Top Pressure

When opponent pressures forward into DLR:

Management Strategy:

• Use pressure against them (their forward momentum loads sweeps)
• Elevate hips higher to increase hook power
• Switch to collar drag or arm drag if too heavy
• Invert underneath rather than fighting strength vs. strength

I’ve learned that opponents who pressure hard into DLR are actually giving you the energy you need for sweeps. Redirect their pressure rather than opposing it.

Training de la riva guard By Skill Level

For Beginners: Foundation Building

Blue belts should focus on basic DLR mechanics before complex variations. BJJ Fanatics’ four essential DLR techniques provide excellent starting points:​

Beginner Priorities

• Learn proper DLR hook mechanics and positioning
• Practice basic sweep (ankle pick variation) until reliable
• Develop comfort being inverted (shoulder to mat positions)
• Understand grip hierarchy and grip fighting
• Study how to recover DLR when hook breaks

Resources about first BJJ class expectations help new students understand DLR’s role in open guard development.

Personal Observation: White belts often try DLR too early without understanding closed guard fundamentals first. Build your foundation before exploring advanced guards.

For Intermediate Practitioners: System Development

Purple belts should develop complete DLR attacking systems:

Intermediate Development

• Master all major DLR sweeps (classic, situp, De La X)
• Study back-taking mechanics from inversion
• Learn to chain DLR with RDLR and single leg X
• Develop berimbolo entries and finishes
• Practice transitions when DLR fails

Exploring blue belt development goals helps structure DLR progression during this critical growth phase.

For Advanced Students: Specialization

Brown and black belts refine details and create signature styles:

Advanced Refinements

• Develop personalized DLR system based on body type
• Study elite DLR specialists (Mendes brothers, Miyaos, Cobrinha)
• Create counter-strategies for all modern passing systems
• Perfect timing on inversions and back takes
• Master transition between all DLR variations seamlessly
• Develop leg lock entries from DLR (no-gi)

At this level, your DLR should be distinctive—my DLR emphasizes back takes while my training partner’s focuses on sweeps to mount. Both work, but reflect different strategic preferences.

Competition Strategy and Applications

IBJJF Gi Competition

Point-based gi competition emphasizes DLR advantages:

Strategic Considerations

• Back takes from DLR score 4 points (highest non-submission score)
• Sweeps score 2 points
• DLR prevents guard pass (saves 3 points for opponent)
• Can work patiently with gi grips
• Collar and lapel variations increase control

No-Gi and Submission-Only

No-gi formats shift tactical emphasis:​

No-Gi Adaptations

• Faster pace requires quicker transitions
• Leg lock entries become primary attacks
• Ankle control and underhooks replace gi grips
• Berimbolo and inversion still work but require more precision
• 10th Planet system incorporates DLR extensively​

Ankle Lock From DLR: In no-gi, the DLR hook position creates immediate ankle lock entries that don’t exist in gi.​

MMA Applications

DLR appears less frequently in MMA but provides specific values:

MMA-Specific Factors

• Distance management prevents ground-and-pound
• Sweeps lead directly to top position and striking
• Back takes end rounds or fights
• Works in cage against fence
• Requires modification due to striking threats

Common de la riva guard Mistakes

Passive Hook

Hook that exists without active pulling and elevating:

The Problem

• Opponent easily removes passive hook
• No base disruption or off-balancing
• DLR becomes just uncomfortable leg position without function

The Solution

• Actively pull with DLR hook constantly
• Elevate hips to increase hook power
• Think of hook as tow rope, not just wrap

This is the #1 white belt DLR mistake I see. They get the shape right but don’t make the hook active.

Poor Grip Management

Allowing opponent to establish their preferred grips:

Result

• They control pace and positioning
• Your offensive options disappear
• Defensive structure collapses

Fix

• Fight for your grips before they establish theirs
• Break their grips immediately when established
• Understand grip hierarchy (pant/ankle most important)

Staying Centered

Remaining directly in front of opponent:

Issue

• Makes you easy target for passing
• Reduces sweeping angles
• Limits back-taking opportunities

Correction

• Constantly circle and create angles
• Move laterally around opponent
• Think of DLR as dynamic, not static

Fighting Lost Positions

Holding DLR when it’s clearly being passed:

Problem

• Wastes energy on losing battle
• Gets you passed anyway
• Misses transition opportunities

Better Approach

• Recognize when DLR is failing (within 2-3 seconds)
• Transition immediately to half guard, RDLR, or wrestling up
• Chain positions rather than dying with single position

I’ve been guillotined countless times fighting for DLR that was already gone. Learn to let go and transition.

The de la riva guard’s Enduring Legacy

From Carlson Gracie’s brutal academy in 1980s Rio to modern IBJJF world championships, the de la riva guard transformed from survival necessity into the foundation of contemporary competitive BJJ.​

Ricardo De La Riva’s innovation didn’t just add a technique to the curriculum—it fundamentally changed how practitioners approach the guard game. The outside hook that made Royler Gracie wobble in 1985 now appears in countless variations that define elite-level competition four decades later.​

When champions like the Mendes brothers, Miyao brothers, and Cobrinha build their entire games around DLR systems, when new variations continue emerging every year, when white belts learn DLR as fundamental curriculum, you’re witnessing the lasting impact of one small practitioner who refused to accept getting crushed.​

Whether you’re a blue belt building your first DLR sweeps or a brown belt perfecting berimbolo mechanics, understanding this position’s mechanics and history provides offensive tools that work against any opponent, in any context, under any rules.

Mastering De La Riva fundamentals creates the foundation for exploring all modern guard systems, from basic open guard concepts to the advanced inversion-based attacks that define contemporary high-level grappling.

How We Reviewed This Article

Editorial Standards: All historical information verified against BJJ Heroes archives and documented accounts of Ricardo De La Riva’s career. Technical descriptions reviewed by black belt competitors who specialize in DLR-based guard systems. Competition strategies based on analysis of IBJJF, ADCC, and no-gi tournament footage featuring elite DLR practitioners.

Sources Referenced:

• BJJ Heroes official technique database and Ricardo De La Riva biography
• Historical accounts of Carlson Gracie Academy training environment
• Competition footage analysis (De La Riva vs. Royler Gracie, modern berimbolo specialists)
• Contemporary instructional content from credentialed black belts
• No-gi and 10th Planet system DLR adaptations

Last Updated: January 9, 2026