Dogfight Position Guide
☰Contents
BJJ dogfight position — setup from half guard, underhook battle, sweep options, back take, and stand up mechanics.
The dogfight position occurs when both grapplers are on their hands and knees facing the same direction, with underhook and overhook control. It's a critical scramble position in half guard exchanges.
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How You Get to Dogfight
From Half Guard Bottom
When you have an underhook in half guard and your opponent's weight shifts forward, use the underhook to come up to your knees. This brings you to dogfight position.
From Half Guard Top
When the bottom player pumps their underhook and comes up, the top player must immediately fight the underhook to prevent the sweep or back take.
The Underhook Battle
Winning the Underhook
The player with underhook wins the dogfight. Drive your underhook up under their armpit while keeping your elbow tight. A high underhook with shoulder pressure is dominant.
Defending Their Underhook
If they have underhook, crossface them aggressively to flatten them, or use a whizzer (overhook) to counter their underhook and prevent the sweep.
Dogfight Sweeps and Attacks
Hip Down Sweep
With underhook in dogfight, drive your head into their hip while posting your outside leg. Run the outside leg up and forward, folding them over your hip for a sweep.
Back Take from Dogfight
If they turtle up to avoid the sweep, follow with a seat belt — underhook and overhook. Circle to insert hooks and secure back position.
Stand Up Option
With underhook in dogfight, you can also stand up to break free of the half guard and create a scramble for the top position. Post your outside leg, stand, and defend any takedown attempts.