What Robson Moura Taught Leo

I had the pleasure of training at American Top Team in Hollywood, FL this past Christmas weekend. Leo Kirby and I met up to share techniques and take photos.

A while back, Leo did a private lesson with Robson Moura. He’s long wanted to show me what he learned, and the members of the SBG forum were clamoring for it as well, so we thought we’d shoot a tutorial of it. I have taken Leo’s notes on the private lesson that he posted on the SBG forum after training with Robson and mixed in the pictures we took. A BJJ collage of sorts.

The guard variation that Robson did is very interesting to me since it plays right into the overhooking butterfly game but adds another element of being able to also stretch them out and away to keep from being flattened out (as you’ll see).

I know Leo is always happy to answer questions, so feel free to ask below.

Everything below is by Leo…

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John Davis and I did a 2 hour private with Robson Moura.

Really can’t say enough about the guy. I have trained and rolled with black belts but I have never seen anyone that truly understands the concept of non-attribute BJJ like this guy. Of course he is maybe 5’6″, 145 lbs so he really has no choice. He says he plays a faster no-gi game, but with gi it is all technique.

We worked his guard game. This is where I began to understand how a small guy can play open guard from bottom without using strength and power to keep from getting crushed.

He started in butterfly but went to one hip, something I have seen. Luis does it and I know I saw John Frankle teach that on a seminar DVD, as well as many others. I have never really been good at it though.

But what Robson did was sit to one side, then x-guard the leg on that side.

Leg position

X-guard on that thigh with the legs pushing out with some pressure.

Stretching the hooks to keep them off if they drive in

So he was on his side with an underhook or overhook, whatever they gave him.

Underhook

Overhook and far collar grip

Then it was what they did that determined what he did next.

A couple of points here. I have been playing x-guard for 2 years, trained with Marcelo twice, two private lessons with him, all of his DVD’s, as well as Kesting’s x-guard stuff. But it was never this easy.

The thing I have heard over and over is: how do you set up x-guard? I have always waited for them to post or stand then go for the underhook on the leg, x-guard the other one. Or lift them from butterfly or butterfly half guard, then underhook the leg.

The way Robson plays you can underhook the leg but you don’t need to. When they work to free the leg, post a hand, put a hand on your knee or grab the pant leg you sweep them a number of ways or take their back. He attacks the collar, but from that position normally they try to get an underhook so he takes the overhook. He will grab either collar from there.

If the near collar, he uses the other side gi skirt and has several combos from there.

Overhook and near collar grip

He then went into gi control from this position with the lapel or by pulling the skirt out and wrapping it over their shoulder or back.

Untucking and passing the far lapel over the back

Wrapping lapel across the back

Wrapped lapel is gripped by overhooking hand

He had combinations for an overhook and switching the grip a number of ways, then sweeping or finishing with a choke.

If you try to move back he just scoots with you because he has a hand posted and tries to keep contact. If you stand he can switch to the regular X guard or get both hooks in for a normal butterfly then switches to the x guard again that I described above.

It was pretty amazing that while you are on your side, his thigh in the x-guard position controlled by both your hooks, you have plenty of time to play with his gi because if he tries to stop you you just lift him with the hooks and sweep him.

We rolled with him for quite a while. His game is incredible — slow, and very technical. He is great at gi chokes and gets them just as you think you are passing his guard.

All in all the best two hours I have ever spent in Martial Arts. I love training with Marcleo, but when you roll with him you know you have been in a fight. And after training with him I started working the fast game that he is so good at and that at 45, I am not sure I can play for more than a few minutes at a time.

After the class with Robson, John and I started rolling/drilling on our own and it just made me want to get proper position, slow down, and see what he gave me.