Controlling a younger, faster, more athletic opponent from top position is one of the hardest problems in grappling, and nobody has broken it down more systematically than Gordon Ryan.

Gordon Ryan is a multiple-time ADCC World Champion and IBJJF No-Gi World Champion, and in 2022 he became the first athlete to win his division and the superfight at the same ADCC.

In Systematically Controlling Younger and Athletic Opponents Top Guard, Ryan breaks down how to pass by negating your opponent's movement instead of trying to match it, with specific plans for classical jiu jitsu players, wrestlers and MMA fighters, and scrimmage wrestlers.

This isn't just a guard passing course, it's a complete control-based strategy for beating opponents who are faster and more athletic than you.

Controlling a younger, faster, more athletic opponent from top position is one of the hardest problems in grappling, and nobody has broken it down more systematically than Gordon Ryan.

Gordon Ryan is a multiple-time ADCC World Champion and IBJJF No-Gi World Champion, and at ADCC 2022 he became the first athlete to win his division and the superfight in the same year. Now he's sharing the top game approach he uses when the person in front of him can move faster and scramble harder.

In this 8-volume course, Ryan starts with the difference between a control game and a movement game, then builds the mechanisms of control you need to pass: half guard chest to chest, the body lock, half guard on frames, stack passing, and north south camping. From there he gives you a separate plan for the classical jiu jitsu player, the classical wrestler or MMA fighter, and the scrimmage wrestler, each from seated and supine guard. This isn't just a guard passing course, it's a complete control-based strategy for beating opponents who are faster and more athletic than you.

Whether you're an older grappler or someone who simply doesn't want to win scrambles with speed, the idea of negating movement serves as the foundation for everything you do on top. You'll learn when to feint, when to flank, when to backtrack, and why inside camping becomes your home base against the most mobile opponents.

This works because it doesn't depend on being the better athlete. Instead of chasing your opponent's movement, you take it away one option at a time with down block hands, head height, shoulder and hip control, and combinations that make their responses predictable. The result is a passing game that holds up against people who are younger, quicker, and more explosive than you.

If you've ever wondered how elite grapplers stay calm on top while their opponent tries to spin, invert, and scramble out of every position, this course shows you the system behind it.

Learn how to control the movement game, take away your opponent's options, and pass with structure instead of speed.

What Exactly Do You Get?

Part 1: Control Game vs Movement Game

Control Game vs Movement Game

Younger vs Older Grapplers

Power to Weight vs Overall Power

Mastering Movement and Control

Applying Movement and Control

Theory

Two Directional vs Three Directional Guard

Three Levels of Sophistication

Tactics Questions and Assessments

Mapping Movements

Part 2: Mechanisms of Control

Gravity and Body Weight

Hierarchy of Control Based Passing Positions

Mechanisms of Control-Half Guard Chest to Chest

Mechanisms of Control–Body Lock

Mechanisms of Control–Half Guard on Frames

Mechanisms of Control-Stack Passing

Mechanisms of Control Outside/North South Camping

The Big Three

Solidify a Cranial Shift Before Passing

Overview

Part 3: The Classical Jiu Jitsu Player, Seated Guard

Intro to Approaching a Classical Jiu Jitsu Player-Seated Guard

General Theory

Down Block Hand - Low Head Is Unnecessary

Lead Leg Feinting

Outside-Opportunistic Movements

Shoulders and Hips

Body Lock Setups

Combinations

Part 4: The Classical Jiu Jitsu Player, Supine Guard

Intro to Approaching a Classical Jiu Jitsu Player-Supine Guard

Outside-Opportunistic Passing

Toreando to Outside Camping-North South

High Step/Crossover Steps

Stack Passing vs High Feet

Feinting Knee Outside to Step Inside

Playing Inside Passing Game

Combinations

Full Repertoire Passing

Part 5: Classical Wrestlers and MMA Fighters, Seated Guard

Intro to Approaching Classical Wrestlers - MMA Fighters-Seated Guard

Wrestling vs MMA vs Jiu Jitsu

Middle Ground

General Theory

No Outside Opportunities

Down Block Hand and Head Height

Shoulders and Hips

Flanking

Making Flanking Work via Backtracking

Stepping Inside

Body Lock

Combinations and Predictable Responses

Part 6: Classical Wrestlers and MMA Fighters, Supine Guard

Intro to Approaching a Classical Wrestlers - MMA Fighters-Supine Guard

Flanking

Making Flanking Work via Backtracking

Chasing the Back and Negating Movement

Stack Passing-Backtracking

Playing Inside Passing Game

Full Repertoire

Part 7: The Scrimmage Wrestler, Negation of Movement

Intro to Approaching Scrimmage Wrestler

Unpredictability

Movement Options

General Theory

Negation of Movement Is Key

General Rules

Touching on Previous Moves

Part 8: The Scrimmage Wrestler, Seated Guard

Intro to Approaching Scrimmage Wrestlers-Seated Guard

Down Block Hand

No Flanking

Body Lock

Putting Opponent Supine ASAP

Approaching Supine

Denying Reverse De La Riva

Inside Camping Is King

Negating Movement from Body Lock

Navigating Movement from Inside Camping

Negating Movement from Chest to Chest Half Guard

Future Direction of the Sport

Instant download only