Reverse De La Riva
Also known as RDLR, reverse DLR, inside 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.
At a glance
- Family
- Guard
- Format
- Gi & no-gi
- Level
- Intermediate
- Connections
- 4 techniques
Concept
What it is
Reverse De La Riva places a hook around the inside of the opponent's lead leg. It commonly appears when the passer turns sideways for a knee cut or headquarters position, making it both an attacking guard and a retention checkpoint.
The position has many expressions: shallow hook retention, deep inversion, kiss-of-the-dragon back takes, waiter-style sweeps, and entries to single-leg X or outside ashi. The safety of the knee depends on following the opponent's rotation rather than fixing the foot while the knee twists.
Core mechanics
Key principles
- Track the passer's knee line with your own knee and hip angle.
- Control the lead leg while framing against upper-body pressure.
- Keep the hook mobile; do not sacrifice knee alignment for attachment.
- Choose between inversion, distance recovery, and wrestle-up early.
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
Knee-cut defense
Insert the inside hook as the passer turns the lead knee across.
De La Riva transition
Switch the hook when the passer changes stance or angle.
Seated guard
Attach to the lead leg and sit toward the inside channel.
Next actions
Kiss of the dragon
Invert beneath the hips and follow the far leg toward back exposure.
Single-leg X
Thread underneath the lead leg as the opponent steps or squares.
Wrestle-up
Use the hook to keep the leg close while rising to a finish.
Defensive priorities
Hip control
Prevent the guard player from rotating underneath your center.
Knee-line clearance
Back-step or redirect the hook only after controlling the free leg.
Upper-body connection
Pair the passing angle with head and arm control so the guard cannot freely invert.
Competition connections
Athletes associated with Reverse De La Riva
Keep exploring
Related techniques
Pass
Knee-Cut Pass
A pressure pass that drives one knee across the opponent's thigh while controlling the upper body and clearing the hips.
Guard
Single-Leg X
A one-leg entanglement that controls the hip and knee line for sweeps, stand-ups, and straight ankle-lock attacks.
Transition
Wrestle-Up
A guard-to-standing transition that keeps contact with a leg or body lock and converts bottom position into a takedown or top position.
Guard
De La Riva Guard
An outside-hook open guard used to control a standing opponent's lead leg and create sweeps, back takes, and transitions.
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.