Side control bottom in BJJ sucks. You are stuck on the ground with someone pouring all of their weight right into your chest making it hard to breathe while they’re also trying to bend your body in impossible directions. Add in that, unlike being mounted, you don’t have the option to upa (or bridge quickly with) your hips to knock your opponent off balance and create some space to maybe recover to a better position and side control can be a very frustrating place to find yourself if you’re new to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. But there is one trick that lets the BJJ fighter on side control bottom take back some of the power: The kimura from side control bottom.
The kimura from side control bottom is a simple submission that uses the same kimura mechanics you know from the kimura from guard, kimura from side control, kimura from mount, or kimura from half guard bottom. While you may not get a submission with the kimura from side control bottom, it can open up options for escaping side control bottom.
This particular kimura from side control bottom involves catching your opponent while they are transitioning past your guard into side control bottom. It can also be used if you are able to hip out enough to grab a grip on your opponent’s high-side arm with both of your hands.
Start: Opponent past your guard and transitioning to side control
Step 1: Grip opponent’s high-side hand (the side they are passing on) with your inside hand
Step 2: Drop to your inside hip
Step 3: Reach outside hand over opponent’s tricep and grab your own wrist
Step 4: Turn onto outside hip and shoulder, allowing opponent to follow their movement and fall over your body onto their back
Step 5: Switch your hips perpendicular to opponent’s body and push their arm back towards their head
Finish: Submission via kimura from side control bottom
