X-PASS

The x-pass is the standing open-guard pass in which the passer steps laterally around one of the opponent's legs, then drops to a side-control position. The technique is one of the most fundamental standing passes and is taught at every academy as part of the modern open-guard pass curriculum. The 'X' name describes the crossing footwork pattern that produces the lateral step.

The mechanics begin from a standing engagement with the passer above the opponent's open guard. The passer establishes grips (typically pant cuffs in gi, or ankles in no-gi) and uses a lateral step to walk around one of the opponent's legs — the step traces an X-shape pattern with the passer's feet crossing as the body moves around the leg. As the passer's body clears the leg, the passer drops chest-first onto the opponent's torso to land in side control. The x-pass's mechanical advantage is that the standing posture denies the opponent the leverage that bottom-up guard recovery requires, and the lateral step happens faster than the opponent can invert or scoot away.

The x-pass has been used extensively by competitors who specialize in standing-game pass systems. Notable practitioners include Rafael Mendes, Lucas Lepri, and various modern lightweight specialists who use the standing-pass approach as a primary pass-strategy. The technique pairs particularly well with leg-drag entries — the x-pass step can fluidly convert to leg-drag if the opponent attempts to recover guard with a knee-shield. Defensively the x-pass is countered by maintaining strong frame against the standing passer (don't let them get close enough to step), by inverting as the lateral step initiates, or by establishing single-leg-X or de la Riva grips that deny the standing pass geometry.