BJJ over 60 years old. Rat Guard Basic
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Rat Guard·BJJ For Over 60 Years Old·Added by Admin
Having had a few back surgeries, double knee replacements ,and being 64 years old, I am always searching for ways to ada…
Rat Guard
Genusラットガード(Ratto Gādo)
TransliterationTranslation: rat guard
Overview
The rat guard is a closed guard system where the guard player breaks the opponent's posture, secures a necktie and tricep grip, then swings an arm to threaten a guillotine, causing the opponent to press tighter — at which point the guard player grabs the inside of their own hamstring, creating a locked frame that traps the opponent's head under the armpit with legs locked. [1] Created by Rene Dreifuss of Radical MMA NYC, originally designed for MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu based on an old judo position Dreifuss learned while training in Japan. [2] Specifically designed to nullify ground-and-pound while maintaining offensive options.
Rat GuardRat Guard SystemDreifuss Guard
History & Origin
Effectiveness
Effective guard system for MMA where ground-and-pound must be neutralized. Accessible to all body types. [1]
Lineage
Created by Rene Dreifuss at Radical MMA NYC. Based on judo position learned in Japan.
Competition Record
Used primarily in MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu contexts rather than traditional sport BJJ competition.
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Necktie and tricep grip breaks posture; guillotine threat forces opponent to drive in; self-grip on hamstring creates locked frame
Control Principle — Opponent's head is trapped under the armpit with a closed circuit of grips and legs
Offensive Access — Hands remain free for sweeps, submissions, and transitions while the opponent is controlled
Position & Entry
From closed guard — Establish necktie and tricep grip, fake guillotine, grab own hamstring as opponent drives in
From clinch to guard pull — Pull guard while already establishing the necktie grip
From scramble — Recover to closed guard and immediately establish the rat guard grips
Variants
Standard rat guard — basic posture break with necktie to hamstring grip
MMA rat guard — emphasizes ground-and-pound neutralization
Rat guard to sit-up sweep — primary sweep from the position
Rat guard to triangle — transition to triangle choke
Rat guard to back take — transition when opponent attempts to escape
Videos
1 video
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
2
Low2/10
Positional control system designed to be safe for the guard player
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
— IJF — Guard pulling penalized as non-combativity — ground...
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDFLegal
— IBJJF — Legal — guard is fundamental to BJJ, sweeps from ...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— ADCC — Legal, guard pull penalized -1 point in points por...
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— Unified MMA — Legal — no penalty for playing guard
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Created by Rene Dreifuss, a BJJ instructor based in New York (Radical MMA NYC). Originally designed for MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu, based on an old judo position Dreifuss learned while training in Japan. The guard is specifically designed to nullify ground-and-pound while maintaining offensive options. Key attacks include: sit-up sweep to mount, triangle choke, guillotine, and back take. The system requires no special athletic ability or flexibility, making it accessible to all body types and skill levels. The 'rat' name reportedly comes from the sneaky, resourceful nature of the attacks from the position.
Common Mistakes
!Not breaking posture before establishing the grips — the necktie must be tight
!Releasing the hamstring grip — breaks the locked frame
!Not threatening the guillotine — the fake guillotine is what causes the opponent to drive in
!Staying passive — the rat guard must lead to attacks
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Establish closed guard → Secure necktie and tricep grip → Fake guillotine threat → Opponent drives in → Grab inside of own hamstring → Lock the frame with head trapped → Attack: sit-up sweep, triangle, guillotine, or back take
Sources & References
Primary Source
The Rat Guard (Dreifuss, Radical MMA NYC)
[1] Radical MMA NYC — original rat guard system by Dreifuss
2OtherJapanese Martial Arts Community Terminology
The Rat Guard (Dreifuss, Radical MMA NYC) || BJJ Fanatics — Rat Guard BJJ (bjjfanatics.com) || BJJ World — The Basics of the Sneaky BJJ Rat Guard (bjj-world.com) || BJJEE — How Legit Is The Rat Guard? (bjjee.com)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
[1] Radical MMA NYC — original rat guard system by Dreifuss
5CitationBJJ Fanatics — Rat Guard BJJ (bjjfanatics.com)
[2] BJJ World and BJJEE — technique analysis and legitimacy assessment
6CitationBJJ World — The Basics of the Sneaky BJJ Rat Guard (bjj-world.com)
7CitationBJJEE — How Legit Is The Rat Guard? (bjjee.com)
Community
Athletics
Requires
no special athletic ability or flexibility — accessible to all body types
Key muscles
grip strength, biceps, core
Frequently Asked Questions
What hand positions should I avoid when in Rat Guard?
Never put your hands flat on the mat—this exposes you to Kimura attacks. Keep your elbows positioned close to your waist rather than high up, as high elbows make you vulnerable to arm bar submissions.
How do I control my opponent's head in Rat Guard?
Drive their head down by taking their shoulder and keeping continuous pressure to break their posture. This positioning keeps them broken and unable to see you, which prevents them from punching effectively.
What submission options do I have from Rat Guard?
The primary option is a triangle choke—if that fails, you can transition to an arm bar by hipping up. If the arm bar doesn't work, make a fist and place it under the elbow to continue applying pressure.
What position should I prevent my opponent from achieving in Rat Guard?
Avoid allowing your opponent to get one leg over your shoulder and one under your arm, as this setup leads directly into triangle submissions.
How does the Rat Guard work?
The rat guard is a closed guard system where the guard player breaks the opponent's posture, secures a necktie and tricep grip, then swings an arm to threaten a guillotine, causing the opponent to press tighter — at which point the guard player grabs the inside of their own hamstring, creating a locked frame that traps the opponent's head under the armpit with legs locked. Created by Rene Dreifuss of Radical MMA NYC, originally designed for MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu based on an old judo position Dreifuss learned while training in Japan.
Where does the Rat Guard come from?
Created by Rene Dreifuss of Radical MMA NYC. Based on an old judo position learned in Japan, adapted for MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu.
Is the Rat Guard legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal — guard is fundamental to BJJ, sweeps from guard score 2 points; IJF: restricted — Guard pulling penalized as non-combativity — groundwork from guard permitted …; ADCC: legal — Legal, guard pull penalized -1 point in points portion; Unified MMA: legal — Legal — no penalty for playing guard; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Rat Guard?
Danger rating 2/10. Low — positional control system designed to be safe for the guard player
How do I set up the Rat Guard?
The standard setup chain: Establish closed guard → Secure necktie and tricep grip → Fake guillotine threat → Opponent drives in → Grab inside of own hamstring → Lock the frame with head trapped → Attack: sit-up sweep, triangle, guillotine, or back take.
How do I defend against the Rat Guard?
Standard counters include: Posture up forcefully before the grips are established / Strip the necktie grip early / Stand up in guard to break the control / Stack and create distance.
What are the variants of the Rat Guard?
Common variants: Standard rat guard (basic posture break with necktie to hamstring grip); MMA rat guard (emphasizes ground-and-pound neutralization); Rat guard to sit-up sweep (primary sweep from the position); Rat guard to triangle (transition to triangle choke); Rat guard to back take (transition when opponent attempts to escape).
How effective is the Rat Guard in competition?
Used primarily in MMA and Combat Jiu-Jitsu contexts rather than traditional sport BJJ competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Rat Guard?
Top errors to watch for: Not breaking posture before establishing the grips — the necktie must be tight / Releasing the hamstring grip — breaks the locked frame / Not threatening the guillotine — the fake guillotine is what causes the opponent to drive in / Staying passive — the rat guard must lead to attacks.
What are other names for the Rat Guard?
The Rat Guard is also known as Ratto Gādo, Rat Guard, Rat Guard System, Dreifuss Guard.