Knee-Cut Pass
Also known as knee slice, knee slide, knee-through pass
A pressure pass that drives one knee across the opponent's thigh while controlling the upper body and clearing the hips.
At a glance
- Family
- Guard pass
- Format
- Gi & no-gi
- Level
- Fundamental
- Connections
- 4 techniques
Concept
What it is
The knee-cut pass turns the passer's hips sideways and slides the lead knee across the guard player's thigh. The lower-body movement succeeds only when paired with upper-body control: an underhook, collar grip, crossface, or strong head position prevents the guard player from following the hip turn.
The pass appears from headquarters, half guard, reverse De La Riva, and open-guard scrambles. Its common dilemma is between the knee cut and a backstep or long-step direction when the guard player blocks the hip.
Core mechanics
Key principles
- Win the underhook or equivalent inside upper-body control.
- Point the lead knee beyond the opponent's hip, not into their frame.
- Keep the trailing foot active until the knee line is clear.
- Settle shoulder control before releasing the lower-body pin.
System map
How it connects
Jiu-jitsu techniques work in sequences. These are common conceptual routes in, productive next steps, and the defensive priorities that shape the exchange.
Common entries
Headquarters
Staple one leg between yours and turn the lead knee across the thigh.
Half guard
Flatten the shoulders and progressively free the trapped knee.
Reverse De La Riva
Control the inside hook and connect the upper body before sliding through.
Next actions
Side control
Clear the hip line and settle chest-to-chest with far-side control.
Mount
Walk the knee higher when the defender's elbows separate from the torso.
Backstep
Change direction when the guard player overcommits to blocking the knee cut.
Defensive priorities
Knee shield
Frame across the torso before the passer closes shoulder distance.
Reverse De La Riva
Hook the lead leg and keep the passer's knee from crossing the hip line.
Underhook
Turn onto the side and build toward a wrestle-up or back exposure.
Competition connections
Athletes associated with Knee-Cut Pass
Keep exploring
Related techniques
Position
Side Control
A top pin across the opponent's torso that controls the shoulders and hips while opening routes to mount, back control, and submissions.
Guard
Half Guard
A versatile guard family built around controlling one of the top player's legs while fighting for inside position, sweeps, or recovery.
Guard
Reverse De La Riva
An inside-hook open guard used to manage knee-cut pressure, invert under the hips, or connect to leg entanglements and wrestle-ups.
Position
Mount
A dominant top position in which the attacker straddles the opponent's torso to control movement and isolate the arms or neck.
Rules and reference sources
Rules evolve. The official organizer documents below are the source of truth for competition legality; the guide above explains the technique conceptually.