Side Control
Also known as: Side Mount, Cross-side, 100 Kilos
Side control is the position most grapplers spend the most time in—both top and bottom. It's the natural landing spot after passing guard and the transition point to mount, back, and submissions. Understanding side control deeply—the crossface, the hip pressure, the different variations—is essential because you'll visit this position hundreds of times per year.
🎯Key Details
Crossface
Shoulder in their jaw, driving their head away. No crossface = they turn into you. Heavy crossface = they're pinned.
Hip pressure
Your hip pressure drives into their near hip, angling them toward you. This kills their shrimp.
Far hip control
Your underhook or knee blocks their far hip from turning. Near hip controlled by your hip, far hip controlled by your arm.
Base
Legs sprawled wide for stability. Narrow base = they sweep you. Wide base = unmovable.
Killing the near elbow
Keeping their near elbow away from their body prevents the frame they need to escape.
⚠️Common Mistakes
No crossface
Crossface is the anchor. Without it, they turn into you and recover guard.
Hips too close (not sprawled)
Sprawl your legs back. Close hips = they bump and escape. Sprawled = crushing pressure.
Ignoring the far hip
Control their far hip with your underhook or knee. Uncontrolled far hip = guard recovery.
Rushing to mount
Stabilize before transitioning. Rushed mount = back to guard.
🚀Setups
- •After guard pass
- •Scramble settlement
- •Mount escape (you give up mount)
- •Takedown to side control
🛡️Counters / Defenses
- •Frame and shrimp
- •Bridge and turn
- •Underhook escape
- •Ghost escape
🔄Variations
📍Applicable Positions
🔗Related Techniques
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