Half Guard Pass (Cross-Face & Underhook)

Also known as: Hip Switch Half Pass · Shoulder Pressure Half Pass · Kimura Trap Pass (adjacent)

The top-half formula: win the cross-face and far underhook, flatten them, then free your trapped knee with a hip switch or knee slice — pressure first, pass second.

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

Starts from Half Guard as the top player → lands in Side Control.

The details that make it work

1. Cross-face plus far underhook turns their chest to the ceiling; a flat half guard player is a passed one.
2. Kill their underhook FIRST — the pass is a battle of pummels before it is a battle of legs.
3. Free the knee with a hip switch (sit toward their head) or a slow knee slice over their bottom leg.

Where it goes wrong

• Racing to free the leg while they still own the underhook and an off-side shoulder.

How opponents counter it

• Knee shield before the cross-face lands
• Deep half dive under the committed pressure

Is the Half Guard Pass (Cross-Face & Underhook) 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

• Knee Cut Pass
• D’Arce Choke
• Knee Slide to Mount

All moves from Half Guard · Back to Grapplepedia