How To Hit The Kiss of The DRAGON
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Kiss Of The Dragon·JIU JITSU MODERN
The Kiss of the Dragon is one of the most effective ways to take the back when your opponent is pressuring your Reverse …
Kiss Of The Dragon
SubFamilyキスオブザドラゴン(Kisu Obu Za Doragon)
TransliterationTranslation: kiss of the dragon
Overview
The Kiss Of The Dragon subfamily covers the specific berimbolo variation where the guard player inverts and threads through the opponent's legs from a reverse De La Riva position, emerging on the other side with back control. [1] Unlike the standard berimbolo which spins under the opponent, the Kiss of the Dragon threads between the legs, making it particularly effective when the opponent is standing with a wide base. [1],[2] The technique involves inverting, threading the head and shoulders between the opponent's legs, and emerging behind them with immediate back control. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The kiss of the dragon is a back-take transition from De La Riva guard that inverts between the opponent's legs. [1]
Lineage
Developed in competitive BJJ as a dynamic back-take from DLR guard. [1]
Competition Record
Used in IBJJF competition by De La Riva guard specialists. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Breaking the opponent's leg control to advance to a more dominant position
Joints Involved — Hips (posture and pressure), knees (opening the guard with knee-in or standing), hands (grip fighting)
Force Vector — Forward pressure (stack/smash) or backward posture (stand-up break) to open the closed guard
Passing Mechanic — Once the guard is opened, speed passing, pressure passing, or toreando passing advances the position
Position & Entry
From bottom side control — Create frames with the forearms against the opponent's neck and hip, hip escape (shrimp) to create space, insert the knee to recover guard
From underhook escape — Swim the near arm to an underhook, bridge into the opponent and come to knees or reverse
From opponent's transition — When the opponent moves to mount or north-south, use the movement to create space and escape
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive/transitional technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— UWW — Legal
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The Kiss of the Dragon is a berimbolo variant that transitions from de la Riva guard through a spin underneath the opponent to a back take, typically entering from a deeper angle (Mendes Brothers, Art of Jiu-Jitsu, 2010s)
✓The Kiss of the Dragon specifically enters when the opponent has a leg drag or knee slice position — you invert underneath their passing attempt
✓The name describes the entry: the DLR hook threads deep ('kissing the dragon') as you invert through the narrowest gap
✓The Kiss of the Dragon is a counter-attack: the opponent is passing your guard, and you convert their pass into your back take
✓Execution: as the opponent knee-slices, maintain the DLR hook, invert underneath, and spin to emerge behind them
✓The Kiss of the Dragon requires precise timing — too early and the opponent hasn't committed; too late and they've passed
✓This technique is one of the highest-level guard recovery tools in modern BJJ — it turns a bad position into a dominant one
✓Study Rafael Mendes' competition footage for the definitive examples of Kiss of the Dragon
Common Mistakes
!Attempting the Kiss of the Dragon when the opponent is standing tall — it works against kneeling or passing opponents
!Inverting too late after the opponent has already consolidated the pass — the timing window is during the pass, not after
!Not maintaining the DLR hook during the spin — the hook is the anchor; losing it means losing the technique
!Spinning too far and ending in front of the opponent — control the rotation to end behind them
!Using the Kiss of the Dragon without sufficient inversion skills — the movement must be automatic
!Attempting without the ankle or belt grip — the secondary grip is essential for controlling the opponent
!Over-using the Kiss of the Dragon against opponents who know how to counter it — have backup plans
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Create Space — use frames, hip movement, or leverage to generate room to move
2Disrupt Control — break or weaken the opponent's grips and weight placement
3Execute Escape — apply the specific escape mechanic with timing and commitment
4Recover Position — establish a safe position (guard, standing, or top)
Sources & References
Primary Source
Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Techniques (Marcelo Garcia, 2011)
1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Popularised by Leandro Lo and Mendes Brothers [2] Modern competition BJJ terminology [3] Common abbreviation in BJJ community
2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] IBJJF competition analysis
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)
Alias sources — [1] Popularised by Leandro Lo and Mendes Brothers [2] Modern competition BJJ terminology [3] Common abbreviation in BJJ community
5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Effectiveness sources — [1] IBJJF competition analysis
Community
Athletics
Requires
hip escape (shrimping) speed, framing strength, timing
Favours
flexible hips and quick lateral movement
Key muscles
hip flexors, obliques, triceps (framing), core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use reverse De La Riva to defend against a knee cut pass?
According to Carlos Rosado from Jiu-Jitsu Modern, hook your partner's outside hip with the laces of your foot while your knee points toward theirs, then use your hand behind their knee to post and get weight off their lead leg. When they straighten their leg, keep the reverse De La Riva position active and re-hook when their knee bends again.
What's the key mistake to avoid when defending with reverse De La Riva?
Carlos Rosado emphasizes not letting your leg slide down or opening up your arm, because your opponent will punch an underhook and start their passes. Instead, keep your elbow to the inside of your hip to maintain control.
How do I transition from reverse De La Riva into an inversion attack?
According to Carlos Rosado, you need to switch from a heel grip to a scoop grip (hand elbow-deep between your hip and opponent's foot) to help you get up on your shoulders and invert. Position your opponent's leg in line with your hip to make the inversion easier.
How can I defend against someone trying to scoop and invert from reverse De La Riva?
Carlos Rosado teaches that you should 'hide' your leg by positioning yourself in front of them as they attempt the scoop, which prevents them from getting the grip they need to invert effectively.
How does the Kiss Of The Dragon work?
The Kiss Of The Dragon subfamily covers the specific berimbolo variation where the guard player inverts and threads through the opponent's legs from a reverse De La Riva position, emerging on the other side with back control. Unlike the standard berimbolo which spins under the opponent, the Kiss of the Dragon threads between the legs, making it particularly effective when the opponent is standing with a wide base.
Where does the Kiss Of The Dragon come from?
The Kiss of the Dragon was popularised by competitors in the modern berimbolo era, particularly associated with the Mendes brothers' guard systems. The technique represents an advanced berimbolo variation that expanded the back-taking options from inverted guard positions.
Is the Kiss Of The Dragon legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive/transitional technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Kiss Of The Dragon?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sweeps reverse position from bottom; moderate impact on landing for top player
How do I set up the Kiss Of The Dragon?
The standard setup chain: Create Space → Disrupt Control → Execute Escape → Recover Position.
How do I defend against the Kiss Of The Dragon?
Standard counters include: Maintain Pressure — keep consistent weight distribution to limit escape space / Anticipate Direction — read escape attempt direction and block early / Transition — flow to a new position when the current one is threatened.
What are the variants of the Kiss Of The Dragon?
Common variants: Shrimp to guard (framing and hip-escaping to recover full guard or half guard); Underhook escape (winning the underhook and coming to knees or reversing); Bridge to knees (bridging into the opponent and transitioning to turtle or…); Ghost escape (inverting under the opponent to re-guard from the opposit…).
How effective is the Kiss Of The Dragon in competition?
Used in IBJJF competition by De La Riva guard specialists.
What are common mistakes when doing the Kiss Of The Dragon?
Top errors to watch for: Attempting the Kiss of the Dragon when the opponent is standing tall — it works against kneeling or passing opponents / Inverting too late after the opponent has already consolidated the pass — the timing window is during the pass, not a… / Not maintaining the DLR hook during the spin — the hook is the anchor; losing it means losing the technique / Spinning too far and ending in front of the opponent — control the rotation to end behind them.
What are other names for the Kiss Of The Dragon?
The Kiss Of The Dragon is also known as Kisu Obu Za Doragon, Kiss Of The Dragon, Reverse Berimbolo, KOTD.