Lapel Bait Armbar Variations

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In this technique from the "Braulio Estima Closed Guard Techniques" series, Rafael Lovato Jr. demonstrates how to bait your opponent by focusing on exploiting the lapel grip on your opponents bjj gi to transition between a triangle attempt, an armbar, and a sweep as backup options.

Starting from closed guard with aggressive posture control using the Bravo grip, Rafael transitions to gripping behind the arm when the opponent manages to circle their head out. If the opponent tightens up, Rafael introduces a sweep to open them up. As he executes the sweep and the opponent starts to posture up, Rafael attempts a triangle. However, if the opponent tucks his arm in and catches Rafael’s leg, this leaves Rafael’s foot stuck on the opponent's hip.

From this compromised triangle position, Rafael adapts by placing his other foot also on the opponent's hip and shifts his focus to controlling the opponent’s hand instead of the wrist for better leverage. He pulls on the opponent’s hand, hyperextending the elbow against his hip and using the lapel to lock the elbow in place.

The crucial aspect of this setup is the manipulation of the opponent’s elbow and controlling the hand for superior leverage. If the opponent begins to turn his head to escape, Rafael adjusts by letting go of the leg that's stuck, extending it up into the opponent's shoulder to transition into a more traditional armbar setup.

This sequence of movements offers a fluid transition between attack options, maintaining constant pressure and adapting based on the opponent's reactions. If the initial armbar setup doesn’t succeed, the opponent’s movement to escape provides Rafael with the opportunity to execute a traditional armbar. This approach ensures that even if the first submission attempt is defended, the adjustment creates another opportunity for a successful elbow attack.