Leg Drag

Also known as: Leg Drag Pass · Drag Pass · Zé Radiola Drag (historic)

Drag one of their legs across your body and pin it to your far hip — their knees point away from you, their back is half-exposed, and the guard is functionally over.

Guard Pass · Gi & No-gi · Difficulty 3/5 · Usually learned at Blue belt

Starts from Open Guard as the passer → lands in Leg Drag Position.

The details that make it work

1. Grip at the knee and ankle; the drag crosses their leg over YOUR center line, not just sideways.
2. Pin the dragged thigh to your hip and drop your knee behind it — that staple is the position.
3. From the drag, choose: step to side control, or attack the exposed back as they turn away.

Where it goes wrong

• Dragging the leg without following in, leaving a half-second re-guard window.

How opponents counter it

• Hip escape and re-square the moment the drag starts
• Underhook the stapling leg and wrestle up

Is the Leg Drag 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

• Toreando Pass
• Leg Drag Finish to Side Control
• Back Take from Leg Drag
• Berimbolo

All moves from Open Guard · Back to Grapplepedia