AOJ – Gui Mendes – Open Guard – Back Attacks [CN]

AOJ – Gui Mendes – Open Guard – Back Attacks [CN]

Salepage : AOJ – Gui Mendes – Open Guard – Back Attacks [CN]

Arichive : AOJ – Gui Mendes – Open Guard – Back Attacks [CN]

Guard Game
This is Rafa’s bread and butter position. He is know for being extra dangerous with open guards. His signature guards would be Collar and Sleeve guard as well as De La Riva guard. Collar and sleeve guard (the position is probably best described here by John Danaher) offers a variety of possibilities and attacks especially for triangles and omoplatas and Rafael was executing them at a high rate throughout his career. From De La Riva guard most of the time he will take opponent down by getting the DLR hook deep and gripping opponents back to initiate his fall. When he gets the opponent down he will often go for the Berimbolo by keeping the DLR hook in and placing other foot across opponents torso to block his upper movement. From there he will do a side roll and seek to take the back.

Rafa has also been known to attack variety of other options from De La Riva such as armbars and omoplatas. Another guard he utilizes often is the Reverse De La Riva guard from where he enters the “Kiss of the Dragon” position. This is where he gets under the opponents legs which gives him a huge number of opportunities to attack the back or even simply to sweep.