Knee Slice Pass
Also known as: Knee Cut Pass, Knee Slide Pass
The knee slice is the bread-and-butter guard pass of modern BJJ. It works against virtually every guard by combining elements of pressure passing and movement passing. The knee slices through their legs at an angle while cross-face pressure controls their head and upper body. It's the first pass many competitors develop because it's direct, reliable, and chains well with other passes.
🎯Key Details
Cross-face first
Establish cross-face control before you slice. Their head turned away = they can't turn into you to recover guard.
Slice angle
Your knee cuts at 45 degrees toward their far hip, not straight across their thigh. The angle is what makes it cut through.
Hip position
Keep your hips low and heavy. High hips = they can frame and create space. Low hips = crushing pressure.
Underhook the far leg
Your free arm underhooks their far leg, preventing them from framing or recovering. This clears the path for side control.
Don't lift up
Stay heavy all the way through. The moment you lift to clear their leg is when they recover half guard.
⚠️Common Mistakes
No cross-face
Without cross-face, they turn into you and recover. Cross-face is not optional.
Knee goes straight across (not angled)
Slice at 45 degrees toward their far hip. Straight across gets caught in half guard.
Lifting hips during the pass
Stay low and heavy the entire time. Any lift creates space for guard recovery.
Ignoring their bottom leg
Control or clear their bottom leg with your free hand. Left alone, it becomes a frame.
🚀Setups
- •From standing over open guard
- •From headquarters position
- •After breaking closed guard
- •Transitioning from toreando fake
🛡️Counters / Defenses
- •Knee shield to prevent slice
- •Underhook before they cross-face
- •Frame on the hip and shrimp
- •Z-guard to block
🔄Variations
📍Applicable Positions
🔗Related Techniques
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