Sao Paulo Pass

[Cora Sek]

So while watching UFC 162 last night, Cora's coach want to show us a pass that he really like. He basically swear by this pass. Have any of you ever use this? And is it 10thplanet safe? It just looks to me like a flying kung fu or a meathook would nullified this pass. Or even a sweep. But he says its very effective against bigger guys with strong guard. Let me here what yall think. Thanks Bruce

[Cora Sek]

Just want to add, this coach is not her regular coach. He is more like a coach assistant who happens to train there also. Just don't want anyone to get confuse with her Coach Cameron Graves.

[Brian Debes]

There was a draculino Purple belt that loved this pass and got it on everyone else in our gym. It didn't work on me when he did it. You have to have very good control off guard angles to stop it against someone good... But I don't like it because I don't like to put time into move that I feel like ate programming me to get submitted by certain types of people. "train for the best defense". That said, lets of people in Houston like it.

[Brian Debes]

There was a draculino Purple belt that loved this pass and got it on everyone else in our gym. It didn't work on me when he did it. You have to have very good control off guard angles to stop it against someone good... But I don't like it because I don't like to put time into move that I feel like ate programming me to get submitted by certain types of people. "train for the best defense". That said, lets of people in Houston like it.

^ lots of typos, sorry. My computer is sick and I'm posting from my phone.

[ScottRay]

There was a draculino Purple belt that loved this pass and got it on everyone else in our gym. It didn't work on me when he did it. You have to have very good control off guard angles to stop it against someone good... But I don't like it because I don't like to put time into move that I feel like ate programming me to get submitted by certain types of people. "train for the best defense". That said, lets of people in Houston like it.

Not everyone else in your gym! He didn't land it on me! Oh ya, I didnt roll with him...lol.

Popular pass around the Houston area. Im not a fan of it for all the reasons already stated...

[Cora Sek]

So what can a 10thplanet guy do too counter this pass? Meathook? Flying kung fu of the underhook arm? I'm thinking even if he break the guard, the lockdown is always there for backup.

[Micah Giron]

For most people, allowing your opponent to get an overhook is going to be counter-productive. For a younger student, I wouldn't suggest that she start breaking the "rules" of guard passing early on; this pass involves staying on top of them rather than posturing, and placing a hand on the mat instead of keeping your hands on your opponent's stomach. Wilson Reis is one of a very small handful of guys regularly using this style of passing with success, and he's a black belt with tons of competition experience. He has had plenty of time to develop a sensitivity and awareness that allows him to break the "rules" here and there without getting triangled/caught in an omoplata. I really believe you need to get used to playing by the rules before you can decide when/where you can judiciously break them.

[Micah Giron]

btw, Marcelo preaches standing to break the guard, especially against larger and stronger opponents. After changing up my passing game to more closely resemble Marcelo's, I definitely think he's right (as usual lol).

[Cora Sek]

Micah: you are right. I don't think we will be playing this type of passing. As of right now for breaking guard and passing, she's doing all of Marcelo's stuff with great success. This Sao Paulo Pass to me is too risky and I don't think she has the strength to pull it off against bigger stronger boys. And definitely she can't pull this off against any 10thplanet kids with the hand on the mat like that.

[CTGRXB]

Sao Paulo Pass is prob one of my favorite passes. I normally stand to pass, but I still love this pass. If you're not good at passing half guard you will slowly get better because you won't get the pass all the time, especially against someone with good guard retention. But if you do it right, you should be able to blow by them. There are two key things you need to do, and you will see in the videos I'll post below. One, is the arm you are using to underhook/non passing side cannot be defeated or you have to start over. If they get under your arm you're screwed. Two, a good counter is for the person in guard to just switch their hips back and get you off balance. But if crush the persons hip there isn't much for them to do. Besides learning from my instructor, I took things from thee videos below to throw the way I do it together. In the Gi i dont completely underhook the person but I grab the seam under their armpit palm down then twist my hand so if I let go w/ my thumb I would give a thumbs up, it makes a tight grip. In no gi I do hug the shoulder and upper body. Always make sure to keep your head tight to their side on the passing side so it keeps everything really tight and blocks the non passing side counter by your opponent. All of these videos are in Gi, but the pass is easily transferable to no gi grips and hand placement.