Side control to mount
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Side Control·Absolute MMA St Kilda - Melbourne
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Side Control
Groupサイドコントロール(Saido Kontorōru)
Translation: Side control
Overview
Side control is a dominant ground position where the top player lies chest-to-chest across the opponent's torso, perpendicular to their body, using a combination of crossface, underhook, and chest pressure to pin the bottom player to the mat. [1] It is the most common dominant position reached after passing the guard and serves as the central hub of the BJJ positional hierarchy — from side control, the top player can transition to mount, knee-on-belly, back control, or north-south, or attack with submissions directly. [1],[2] In judo, the equivalent position (yoko shiho gatame, 'side four-corner hold') is one of the primary osaekomi (pin) positions, scoring waza-ari after 10 seconds and ippon after 20 seconds of unbroken control. [2],[3] In MMA, side control provides a strong platform for ground-and-pound while severely limiting the bottom player's offensive options. [3]
Side ControlSide MountYoko Shiho GatameJPCross-BodyBoxing
History & Origin
Side control (yoko shiho gatame) is one of the five fundamental osaekomi (pinning) positions in Kodokan judo, formalised by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century. [1] Judo's kesa gatame (scarf hold) variant is among the oldest documented pinning techniques, appearing in classical jujutsu (koryu) traditions. [1],[2] In BJJ, side control evolved from a simple control position into a comprehensive attacking platform, with modern practitioners developing elaborate submission chains and transition systems from the position. [2],[3] In MMA, side control's ground-and-pound potential was demonstrated by fighters like Tito Ortiz and Demian Maia, establishing it as a position for both control and finishing. [3]
Effectiveness
Side control is one of the most practically effective dominant positions, providing strong control with relatively low escape risk for the top player. [1] In MMA, side control ground-and-pound accounts for a significant portion of TKO finishes, and the position provides a stable platform from which to advance to mount or back control. [2] In judo competition, yoko shiho gatame and kesa gatame are among the most commonly scored osaekomi pins, with elite judoka using the pin to win by ippon in major international competitions. [2],[3]
Lineage
Side control traces from classical jujutsu pinning techniques through Kodokan judo's osaekomi waza to modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. [1] The Gracie family incorporated side control into their positional hierarchy, and modern BJJ competitors have developed extensive attacking systems from the position. [1],[2] Catch wrestling contributed its own side control (cross-body ride) traditions, which influenced modern no-gi grappling. [2]
Competition Record
Side control is the most commonly reached dominant position in BJJ competition after a successful guard pass (3 points IBJJF, 3 points ADCC). [1] In judo, yoko shiho gatame and kesa gatame are scored pins that can win matches by ippon after 20 seconds of control. [1],[2] In MMA, side control is one of the three primary positions from which fights are finished on the ground (alongside mount and back control). [2]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Applying chest-to-chest pressure perpendicular to the opponent's body, pinning them to the mat using gravity, skeletal alignment, and active hip pressure
Joints Involved — Shoulder (crossface arm drives into the opponent's face/neck to turn their head away, breaking their posture), hips (heavy hip pressure into the opponent's near-side hip to prevent shrimping), knees (sprawled wide for base or tight against the body for compression)
Force Vector — Downward and diagonal — the top player's weight drops through the chest into the opponent's sternum while the crossface drives laterally, creating a two-directional pin; the near-side underhook prevents the bottom player from turning in
Control Mechanic — The side control pin works by removing the bottom player's ability to create hip movement (shrimping) — the crossface turns their head away (preventing turning toward you), the underhook blocks turning in, and the chest pressure pins the near-side shoulder to the mat; the bottom player is immobilised between the mat and the top player's body
Position & Entry
From guard pass — After passing the guard (toreando, knee cut, over-under), immediately establish crossface and underhook before the opponent recovers guard — the transition from pass completion to side control consolidation is critical [1]
From a scramble — During a scramble where both fighters are out of position, the fighter who establishes chest-to-chest contact with crossface first wins the position; speed to the crossface is essential
From takedown — After a successful takedown, advance past the legs and establish side control rather than settling inside the guard; especially important after double leg and body lock takedowns
From north-south — When the opponent defends north-south attacks, transition back to standard side control by sliding the hips to their near side and re-establishing crossface
Videos
the 4 best side control submissions
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Side Control·Jedi Does Jiujitsu
In today’s video we cover the 4 best bjj submissions from side control. Use responsibly ;) 1 americana 2 arm triangle …
2 videos
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Moderately high for the bottom player — side control restricts breathing (chest compression), enables submissions (americana, kimura, arm triangle, baseball bat choke), and provides ground-and-pound opportunities in MMA; however, it is less dominant than mount and offers more escape pathways
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Beginner
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— 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— Unified MMA — Legal
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— UWW — Legal
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Chest pressure is the foundation — learn to make yourself heavy in side control through proper weight distribution; drive your weight through your chest into the opponent's sternum, not through your knees on the mat (Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University, 2008) [1]
✓The crossface determines control quality — driving your forearm across the opponent's jawline turns their head away and prevents them from turning toward you; without the crossface, the bottom player can frame and escape
✓Transition between side control variations — standard, kesa gatame, reverse kesa, and north-south should flow together based on the opponent's defensive reactions; mobility within side control defeats escape attempts
✓Near-side underhook prevents the opponent from turning in — if you lose the underhook, the bottom player will frame against your hip and recover guard; fight to maintain it
✓In competition, do not stall in side control — actively advance to mount, knee-on-belly, or back control, or attack with submissions; in IBJJF, stalling leads to advantages/penalties
✓Knee-on-belly transition is the most efficient way to score from side control — pop up to knee-on-belly (2 points), then when they react, transition to mount (4 points) or return to side control
✓Drill submission chains from side control — americana, kimura, arm triangle, and baseball bat choke flow together as the opponent defends each attack [2]
✓Side control escape drilling must match side control maintenance drilling — both top and bottom skills develop together
Common Mistakes
!Lying flat on the opponent — effective side control requires active pressure through the chest with hips low and legs sprawled; lying flat and motionless loses control as the opponent frames
!Losing the crossface — without the crossface, the bottom player can turn toward you and begin the shrimping escape; the crossface must be maintained or re-established constantly
!Knees too tight to the opponent's body — keeping both knees tight against the opponent's hip and shoulder creates space for the opponent to insert frames; one knee should be wide for base
!Chasing submissions without control — attempting americanas or kimuras before fully consolidating side control often results in the opponent escaping during the transition
!Not switching between variations — staying in one side control variation allows the opponent to develop a specific escape; flowing between standard, kesa, and north-south makes escapes much harder
!Head too high — the top player's head should be low, driving into the opponent's face or chest; raising the head creates space underneath
!Ignoring the far-side arm — the bottom player's far arm is the primary escape tool (it frames, reaches for underhooks, and pushes); controlling or isolating the far arm shuts down escapes
Related Techniques
Mount — the primary advancement target from side control; side control to mount is one of BJJ's fundamental transitionsGuard Pass — the pathway to side control; successful passes land directly in side controlKnee-on-Belly — a transitional dominant position reached by posting a knee on the opponent's torso from side controlEscape and Reversal (Side Control Escape) — hip escape and frame-based escapes that counter side controlBack Control — accessible from side control when the opponent turns away to escapeSubmission (Americana, Kimura, Arm Triangle) — the primary submission attacks available from side control
Counter Techniques
Hip Escape (Shrimp) — shrimping away from the top player to create space and recover guard; the most fundamental side control escapeFrame and Turn — using forearm frames against the top player's hip and neck to create space, then turning to recover guardBridge and Roll — bridging into the top player to off-balance them, then rolling to reverse the positionUnderhook Escape — fighting for an underhook on the near side, then using it to come up to the knees or reverseGoing to Turtle — when guard recovery fails, turning to turtle as an intermediate position to stand up
Setup Chain
1Pass the Guard — navigate past the opponent's legs through pressure, speed, or traction-based passing
2Establish Side Control — immediately secure crossface and underhook before the opponent recovers guard
3Consolidate — drop weight through the chest, spread the legs for base, and kill the opponent's near-side hip movement
4Advance or Attack — transition to mount (swing the leg over) or knee-on-belly (post the knee), or attack with americana, kimura, or arm triangle
5Chain Attacks — when one submission is defended, flow to the next (americana → kimura → arm triangle → north-south choke)
6Maintain Control — if advancement or submissions are defended, return to heavy side control pressure and restart the cycle
Sources & References
Primary Source
Jiu-Jitsu University (Saulo Ribeiro, 2008)
1BookJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Description sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) on side control in positional hierarchy [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) on yoko shiho gatame [3] UFC fight analysis
2BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
History sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Classical jujutsu traditions [3] MMA competition evolution
3BookMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] UFC fight statistics (ufcstats.com) [3] IJF competition records
4BookThe Side Control Bible (BJJ instructionals)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
6CitationJiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008)
Description sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) on side control in positional hierarchy [2] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) on yoko shiho gatame [3] UFC fight analysis
7CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
History sources — [1] Kodokan Judo (Kano, 1986) [2] Classical jujutsu traditions [3] MMA competition evolution
8CitationMastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] UFC fight statistics (ufcstats.com) [3] IJF competition records
9CitationThe Side Control Bible (BJJ instructionals)
Community
Athletics
Requires
chest pressure (the primary control mechanism), hip dexterity (adjusting weight distribution), upper body control (crossface and underhook maintenance)
Favours
heavy bodyweight (more crushing pressure), wide shoulders (more surface area for chest pressure), strong forearms (crossface force)
Key muscles
chest and shoulders (pressure and crossface), core (hip switching between variations), forearms (grip and crossface), hip flexors (hip drop for pressure)
Sub-techniques
Notes
Side control (yoko-shiho-gatame in judo, cross-side in wrestling) is the primary controlling position after passing the guard. It scores 3 points in IBJJF competition as a guard pass. (IBJJF Rules v6.0; Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from escaping their hips and recovering their legs when I'm in side control?
You must always maintain a block on the far side of your opponent to stop them from creating space and moving away. Absolute MMA St Kilda emphasizes that failing to block the far side at all times is a common mistake that allows opponents to escape their hips and recover their legs in front.
What's the correct way to transition from side control to mount?
First, switch your base by turning your hips side-on so your bottom knee can pinch the opponent's hip, which gives you better range to step over. Block and pull in the opponent's leg while stepping over high in front of their legs to avoid getting trapped, then transition to controlling their hips and head for the mount. Absolute MMA St Kilda stresses keeping the leg pulled in and blocking rather than stepping in a wide arc where the opponent can trap your leg.
Why is switching my base important when moving from side control to mount?
Turning your hips side-on gives your leg much more freedom and range of motion to step over the top. When your hips face downward, you don't have the same movement with your leg, making it harder to complete the transition and easier for your opponent to trap your leg between theirs.
How does the Side Control work?
Side control is a dominant ground position where the top player lies chest-to-chest across the opponent's torso, perpendicular to their body, using a combination of crossface, underhook, and chest pressure to pin the bottom player to the mat. It is the most common dominant position reached after passing the guard and serves as the central hub of the BJJ positional hierarchy — from side control, the top player can transition to mount, knee-on-belly, back control, or north-south, or attack with submissions directly.
Where does the Side Control come from?
Side control (yoko shiho gatame) is one of the five fundamental osaekomi (pinning) positions in Kodokan judo, formalised by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century. Judo's kesa gatame (scarf hold) variant is among the oldest documented pinning techniques, appearing in classical jujutsu (koryu) traditions.
Is the Side Control legal in competition?
IBJJF: legal — Legal; IJF: legal — Legal; ADCC: legal — Legal; Unified MMA: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Side Control?
Danger rating 6/10. Moderately high for the bottom player — side control restricts breathing (chest compression), enables submissions (americana, kimura, arm triangle, baseball bat choke), and provides ground-and-pound opportunities in MMA; however, it is less dominant than mount and offers more escape pathways
How do I set up the Side Control?
The standard setup chain: Pass the Guard → Establish Side Control → Consolidate → Advance or Attack → Chain Attacks → Maintain Control.
How do I defend against the Side Control?
Standard counters include: Hip Escape (Shrimp) — shrimping away from the top player to create space and recover guard; the most fundamental side… / Frame and Turn — using forearm frames against the top player's hip and neck to create space, then turning to recover … / Bridge and Roll — bridging into the top player to off-balance them, then rolling to reverse the position / Underhook Escape — fighting for an underhook on the near side, then using it to come up to the knees or reverse.
What are the variants of the Side Control?
Common variants: Standard side control (crossface and underhook with chest pressure; the most com…); Kesa gatame (scarf hold) (head-and-arm control with the hip facing the opponent; ju…); Reverse kesa gatame (facing the opponent's legs instead of their head; strong …); North-south (kami shiho gatame) (head-to-head with chest on the opponent's chest; provides…); Twister side control (100%) (10th Planet system; side control with a far-side underhoo…); Modified side control (knee in) (inserting the near-side knee against the opponent's hip t…).
How effective is the Side Control in competition?
Side control is the most commonly reached dominant position in BJJ competition after a successful guard pass (3 points IBJJF, 3 points ADCC). In judo, yoko shiho gatame and kesa gatame are scored pins that can win matches by ippon after 20 seconds of control.
What are common mistakes when doing the Side Control?
Top errors to watch for: Lying flat on the opponent — effective side control requires active pressure through the chest with hips low and legs… / Losing the crossface — without the crossface, the bottom player can turn toward you and begin the shrimping escape; t… / Knees too tight to the opponent's body — keeping both knees tight against the opponent's hip and shoulder creates spa… / Chasing submissions without control — attempting americanas or kimuras before fully consolidating side control often ….
What are other names for the Side Control?
The Side Control is also known as Saido Kontorōru, Side Control, Side Mount, Yoko Shiho Gatame, Cross-Body.