Mission Control

SubFamily

Translation: mission control

Range & classification

Overview

The Mission Control subfamily covers the fundamental rubber guard position where the guard player pulls the shin over the opponent's shoulder and holds it in place with the opposite hand, controlling the opponent's posture while keeping one hand free for grip fighting and set-ups. ^[1] Mission Control is the entry-level rubber guard position — the first position in the rubber guard sequence that establishes the leg-over-shoulder control. ^[1],[2] From Mission Control, the guard player can progress to Chill Dog, New York, and other advanced positions in the rubber guard pathway. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Mission Control^[1]Mission Control Guard^[2]High Rubber Guard^[3]

Used in

BJJ MMA Submission Grappling

History & Origin

Mission Control is the foundational position of Eddie Bravo's rubber guard system, named as the 'control centre' from which all rubber guard attacks originate. ^[1] It was one of the first positions Bravo developed in the 10th Planet system. ^[2],[3]

Country of origin· shown in random order

BrazilBJJ, MMA, Submission Grappling
JapanBJJ, Submission Grappling
USAMMA, Submission Grappling

Effectiveness

Mission Control is the foundational posture control position in the rubber guard system, providing a secure platform from which all other rubber guard positions and submissions branch. ^[1] When properly established, mission control makes it extremely difficult for the top player to posture up or create distance. ^[1]

Lineage

Mission Control was developed by Eddie Bravo as the primary entry and control position within the 10th Planet rubber guard system. ^[1]

Competition Record

Mission control is a key rubber guard position used in EBI and no-gi competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Using the legs and hips to control the opponent from the bottom — maintaining distance management and attack angles

Joints Involved — Hips (primary engine for sweeps and attacks), knees (framing and hooking), ankles (secondary hooks)

Force Vector — Pulling, framing, and hip-escaping — creating angles for attacks while preventing passing

Positional Mechanic — The guard is an active offensive position — leg control compensates for bottom positioning by threatening sweeps and submissions

Position & Entry

From closed guard — Break the opponent's posture, secure mission control (overhook the head with the leg), establish rubber guard configuration

From high guard — Climb the legs high, flex the hip to bring the foot to the shoulder, lock the rubber guard position

Videos

Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics

Understanding The Jiu Jitsu Back Control by Andrew Wiltse

Mission Control·Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics

Understanding Back Control by Andrew Wiltse - Click Here To Check Out Andrew Wiltse's Instructional Videos - https://bjj…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Low2/10

Guard positions are defensive; injury risk comes from transitions, not the position itself

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

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 27PDF

Legal

— 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 RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓Mission control is the foundational rubber guard position — the guard player places one shin across the back of the opponent's neck and holds the ankle with the same-side hand, creating posture control without fabric grips (Eddie Bravo, Mastering the Rubber Guard, 2006)

✓Mission control is the first position in the rubber guard sequence: closed guard → mission control → chill dog/new york → submission

✓The shin across the neck breaks the opponent's posture completely — they cannot raise their head or torso while the shin is in place

✓The same-side hand holds the ankle or shin to keep the leg in position — this is the 'control' element

✓Mission control was designed for MMA: it prevents ground-and-pound by controlling the opponent's posture with the leg, freeing both hands for strikes or submissions

✓From mission control, the free hand can: push the opponent's head down for additional control, set up the chill dog by reaching for the far arm, or frame against attempts to posture

✓The flexibility requirement: the guard player must bring their knee to their own ear to apply mission control effectively

Common Mistakes

!Attempting mission control without breaking posture first — the opponent must be broken down in standard closed guard before applying

!Not holding the ankle firmly — the hand must anchor the shin in position across the neck

!Applying mission control with insufficient flexibility — the knee must reach the ear; forced application risks knee injury

!Staying in mission control without progressing — move to chill dog or new york within seconds

!Not using the free hand actively — the free hand should push the head, reach for the arm, or frame

!Releasing mission control to attempt a different attack — once established, progress through the rubber guard system

!Training mission control without flexibility preparation — the position requires dedicated hip flexibility work

Related Techniques

Guard Pass — the primary attacking objective against this guard position Transition — movement between this position and adjacent positions in the hierarchy

Counter Techniques

Guard Pass — systematically work to clear the legs and establish a dominant position Leg Pin — control one or both legs to neutralize guard retention Pressure Passing — use heavy chest pressure to flatten and immobilize the guard player

Setup Chain

1Achieve Guard Contact — establish leg control around or against the opponent

2Control Grips — secure sleeve, collar, or wrist control for manipulation

3Manage Distance — use legs and grips to control the range and prevent passing

4Threaten Submissions/Sweeps — create offensive threats to keep the opponent reactive

Sources & References

Primary Source

Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Techniques (Marcelo Garcia, 2011)

1BookThe Guard (Moreira & Beneville, 2008)

Alias sources — [1] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006) [2] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006) [3] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006)

2BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006)

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] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006) [2] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006) [3] Advanced Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006)

5CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering the Rubber Guard (Bravo, 2006)

Community

Athletics

Requires

hip flexibility, active legs, grip management

Favours

long legs for distance control and guard retention

Key muscles

hip flexors, adductors, quadriceps, core, grip

Sub-techniques

Find by what a technique does — not its name

Every move, in any martial art, shares a few universal traits. Mix and match below to pinpoint the right tool — or compare equivalents across styles.

Standard Mission Control

Genus

The Standard Mission Control establishes the base rubber guard by pulling the shin over the opponent's shoulder (typically the right shin over the left shoulder or vice versa) and controlling it with the opposite hand, keeping the opponent's posture broken. [1] The free hand is used for grip fighting, setting up submissions, or transitioning to the next position in the rubber guard sequence. [1,2] Standard Mission Control requires hip flexibility to maintain the shin-over-shoulder position while keeping enough control to prevent the opponent from posturing. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

When is it safe to cross my feet while controlling the back?

You can safely cross your feet once you've peeled your opponent's arm out and it's positioned up over their body rather than down between their legs, as this prevents them from being able to heel hook or break your ankle.

Why would I trap my opponent's arm instead of crossing my feet on back control?

Trapping the arm prevents your opponent from escaping back, though Andrew Wiltse notes he adopted this approach after shoulder injuries made it difficult to maintain pressure with crossed feet and conventional choke mechanics.

What's the advantage of crossing my feet instead of hooking under the opponent's butt?

Crossing your feet allows you to control the angle up and down and still move your opponent around, whereas hooking under the butt is primarily used to stop the opponent from turning away from you.

How does the Mission Control work?

The Mission Control subfamily covers the fundamental rubber guard position where the guard player pulls the shin over the opponent's shoulder and holds it in place with the opposite hand, controlling the opponent's posture while keeping one hand free for grip fighting and set-ups. Mission Control is the entry-level rubber guard position — the first position in the rubber guard sequence that establishes the leg-over-shoulder control.

Where does the Mission Control come from?

Mission Control is the foundational position of Eddie Bravo's rubber guard system, named as the 'control centre' from which all rubber guard attacks originate. It was one of the first positions Bravo developed in the 10th Planet system.

Is the Mission Control 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 Mission Control?

Danger rating 2/10. Low — guard positions are defensive; injury risk comes from transitions, not the position itself

How do I set up the Mission Control?

The standard setup chain: Achieve Guard Contact → Control Grips → Manage Distance → Threaten Submissions/Sweeps.

How do I defend against the Mission Control?

Standard counters include: Guard Pass — systematically work to clear the legs and establish a dominant position / Leg Pin — control one or both legs to neutralize guard retention / Pressure Passing — use heavy chest pressure to flatten and immobilize the guard player.

What are the variants of the Mission Control?

Common variants: Standard guard (primary leg and grip configuration for control and attack…); Offensive guard (configured for sweeps and submissions); Defensive guard (prioritising distance management and preventing passes); Transition guard (moving between guard types to adjust to the opponent's pa…).

How effective is the Mission Control in competition?

Mission control is a key rubber guard position used in EBI and no-gi competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Mission Control?

Top errors to watch for: Attempting mission control without breaking posture first — the opponent must be broken down in standard closed guard… / Not holding the ankle firmly — the hand must anchor the shin in position across the neck / Applying mission control with insufficient flexibility — the knee must reach the ear; forced application risks knee i… / Staying in mission control without progressing — move to chill dog or new york within seconds.

What are other names for the Mission Control?

The Mission Control is also known as Misshon Kontorōru, Mission Control, Mission Control Guard, High Rubber Guard.

mission control misshon kontor ru position guard position rubber guard bjj mma submission grappling mission control guard high rubber guard