Butterfly sweep

Brazilian jiu-jitsu / Popular

Elevate and sweep with the butterfly hook.

What coaches agree on

  • Control your opponent's near-side arm - with an underhook, overhook, sleeve grip, or two-on-one - so they can't post their hand and stop the sweep.
  • Get your head and chest tight against your opponent before you commit to the sweep.
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  • Load your opponent's weight onto your hook, off-balancing them with their own momentum, before you try to elevate them.

Common mistakes

  • Squaring up in front of the opponent or falling straight onto your back, which lets them post a hand and flatten you out instead of getting swept.
  • Trying to power the sweep off the top, hooking leg, when the actual lift comes from driving off the bottom leg posted on the mat.
The Basic Butterfly Sweep
Beginner

The Basic Butterfly Sweep

Coach's take: One of the better basics breakdowns - flags the common mistake and gives you a real decision tree for the finish.

3.8
Sweeps - Butterfly sweep
Advanced

Sweeps - Butterfly sweep

Coach's take: Nails the timing detail that separates a muscled attempt from a real sweep.

3.6