Butterfly Sweep

Also known as: Hook Sweep · Elevator Sweep · Sumi Gaeshi (adjacent)

The king of no-gi sweeps: underhook one side, load them onto your hooks, and elevate one hook while you fall to the opposite shoulder — they land flat, you land in mount.

Sweep · Gi & No-gi · Difficulty 2/5 · Usually learned at White belt

Starts from Butterfly Guard as the butterfly player → lands in Mount.

The details that make it work

1. Connection first: an underhook and head position (or overhook/wrist) so their posture belongs to you.
2. Load their weight ONTO your shins before elevating — sweep a leaning tower, not a standing one.
3. Fall toward your underhook shoulder as the opposite hook lifts; follow through to mount.

Where it goes wrong

• Kicking the hook at a based, upright opponent with no connection.
• Falling straight back instead of to the shoulder, which just puts them in your closed guard.

How opponents counter it

• Post the free hand wide and backstep over the lifting hook
• Crossface down before the load

Is the Butterfly Sweep legal in competition?

Legal in all major rulesets at all levels (IBJJF, ADCC, sub-only). Rules change — always confirm against the current official rulebook for your event.

Related techniques

• X-Guard Entry
• Arm Drag from Butterfly
• Hip Bump Sweep

All moves from Butterfly Guard · Back to Grapplepedia