Leg Drag
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The leg drag is a passing position where you pull one of the bottom player's legs across your body and pin it to the mat, taking away their ability to use that leg to guard. It is one of the most reliable passes in modern no-gi and gi.
Take the leg out of the fight
By dragging a leg across and stapling it, you remove the frame the bottom player needs to keep you out. From the leg drag you can settle into side control, spin to the back as they turn in, or re-drag if they recover.
A passing hub, not a single move
The leg drag connects to the back take, the crab ride, and other passes, so it works best as a hub you pass through. Most high-level passing chains run through some version of the leg drag.
Community flows for Leg Drag
- Leg Drag Fundamentals — Leg drag techniques from the Mikey Musumeci instructional series.
- Natasha Dillon (@tasha12122): OC Fall Open 2026 — Natasha Dillon (@tasha12122, Rysk Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026: Gold, Female Purple Open Class (no-gi). Beat…
- Rogério Drews Leite (@rogerinhodl): OC Fall Open 2026 — Rogério Drews Leite (@rogerinhodl, Atos Jiu-Jitsu) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026: Brown Super Heavy gold, Brown Open Class gold. Two…
- Nurgazy Bagyshbekov (@nurgazybjj): OC Fall Open 2026 — Nurgazy Bagyshbekov (@nurgazybjj, AOJ) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026. Same opponent twice. Won both. Every position of every match…
- Fernando Paiva (@fernandopaiva_bjj): OC Fall Open 2026 — Fernando Paiva (@fernandopaiva_bjj, AOJ - BR) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026: Brown Feather gold. Two matches. Scored first in both…
- Alex Dovsek (@alexdovsek): OC Fall Open 2026 — Alex Dovsek (@alexdovsek, AOJ) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026: Purple Feather gold. Three matches. 44 points to 2. Every position of…
- Caleb Nascimento (@calebnascimento): OC Fall Open 2026 — Caleb Nascimento (@calebnascimento, Marcio Andre Jiu-Jitsu) at the IBJJF Orange County Fall International Open 2026: Brown Middle Heavy silver, Brown Open…
- Mikey Musumeci: Read the Weight (UFC BJJ 11 vs Bryce Mitchell) — No leg lock submissions allowed against Bryce Mitchell, and Mikey Musumeci still won with the legs. His rule against stronger opponents: read the weight…
- Jozef Chen: Passing Half Guard With Your Hips in the Air — Jozef Chen's half guard pass from his ADCC 2026 bronze match against Gabriel Brod (13-0): head on the mat on the far side, hips high, and the free leg that…
- Nattie Boss: Half Guard Pass to Knee Cut or Armbar — Nattie Boss (@nattiebossrd), BJJ black belt and sports dietitian, shows a top half guard pass: pants grip and hip frame, dive under the bottom arm to the…
- Gustavo Gasperin: Knee Cut Finishes vs the Ankle Pinch — Gustavo Gasperin (@mmaleech), 4th degree BJJ black belt, maps the knee cut pass and the gi and no-gi grips used to flatten the bottom player and free a trapped…
- Alex Vazquez: Knee Slice vs High and Low Knee Shield — Alex Vazquez (@alexvazquezjj) maps knee slice passing against high and low knee shields, from pinning the knee and ankle through the switch, body lock, leg…
Frequently asked questions
What is a leg drag in BJJ?
A pass where you pull the bottom player's leg across your body and pin it, neutralizing that leg so you can move to a pin or the back.
What does the leg drag lead to?
Side control when you settle, or the back when the bottom player turns away to recover. It also re-chains into other passes if they defend.
Is the leg drag good for no-gi?
Yes. It relies on controlling the leg and hips rather than grips, which makes it one of the most reliable no-gi passes.
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