Overview

The go-behind is how you convert advantage into control. It appears after you’ve defended a shot, snapped your opponent down, or broken their posture — not from neutral tie-ups.

This isn’t a move you hunt for. It’s what you do immediately after creating an angle or forcing your opponent to carry your weight.

The defining feature of a successful go-behind is urgency. If you hesitate, your opponent recovers. If you circle and connect, you score.

Core Principles

  • Circle immediately — hesitation gives them time to recover
  • Stay heavy through chest or hip pressure
  • Control the waist, not the shoulders
  • Expect them to stand — plan for it
  • Treat the go-behind as a scoring position, not a finish

If you sprawl or snap and pause, you’ve already missed the window.

Primary Variations

Sprawl → Go-Behind (Primary)

The most common entry.

Why it works:

  • Your opponent is extended and carrying your weight
  • Their hips are momentarily unavailable
  • You can create an angle before they recover their base

This version rewards quick circling and pressure rather than strength.

Snap-Down → Go-Behind

When you break posture from the tie.

Why it works:

  • Their head and hands are down
  • Their hips lag behind their upper body
  • Turning the corner exposes the back immediately

A weak snap creates scrambles. A decisive snap creates angles.

Front Headlock → Go-Behind

When they base hard and resist circling.

Why it works:

  • Blocking or dragging an arm removes their post
  • Once the post is gone, the angle appears
  • The go-behind finishes as they collapse

This version emphasizes denying structure, not speed.

When They Start Standing

A go-behind rarely finishes cleanly without resistance. Expect them to build back up.

Common continuations:

  • Go-behind → body lock → trip or mat return
  • Go-behind → opponent stands → inside trip
  • Go-behind → opponent bases → attack near leg
  • Go-behind → disengage → re-snap and re-circle

The mistake is waiting for them to stand before deciding what’s next.

Common Mistakes

  • Pausing instead of circling
  • Staying flat instead of creating an angle
  • Reaching for shoulders instead of controlling the waist
  • Allowing posture to recover
  • Treating the go-behind as the end instead of the beginning

Most failures come from hesitation, not technique.

Transitions & Chains

The go-behind feeds directly into your clinch and control systems.

Common chains:

  • Sprawl → go-behind → body lock → inside trip
  • Snap-down → go-behind → mat return
  • Go-behind → they square up → underhook battle
  • Failed go-behind → re-snap → second go-behind

If the angle closes, reset pressure and force another reaction.

Video Study

Primary Breakdown (Start Here)

Your video embed
(Shows timing, circling, and follow-ups)

Additional Examples

2–3 complementary videos

  • Different reactions
  • Different finishes
  • Different rule sets