Magic Guard Passing By Travis Stevens – In-Depth Review

Make hard guards feel simple with lapel-savvy pressure.

The Bottom Line

Magic Guard Passing gives you a connected plan for opening, pinning, and finishing common guards. You learn when to apply knee cuts, when to staple hooks, and when to retreat and re-pin. It will not cover modern leglock passing or bodylock nuances; it teaches classic, high-percentage gi pressure done right.

⚡️ Quick facts

Best for: Blue belts and up

Skip if: You only roll no-gi

Tech focus: Closed Guard Opening, Spider Guard Passing, Lasso Guard Passing, Butterfly Guard Passing, Knee Cut Strategy, Half Guard Passing

Biggest takeaway: Pin first, pass second.

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What You'll Learn

Two-volume gi passing system focused on simple strategies that dismantle closed, spider, lasso, butterfly, sit-up, and half guard. Emphasis is on sequencing, grip control, and creating advantage before committing to the finish.

Good for blue belts up who want a conceptual plan without memorizing dozens of micro variations.

Primary Techniques You'll Drill

Closed Guard Opening
Spider Guard Passing
Lasso Guard Passing
Butterfly Guard Passing
Knee Cut Strategy
Half Guard Passing

Format & Level

Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
Skill level: Intermediate
Format: Gi
Runtime: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Volumes: 2

Should You Buy It?

Wait for daily deal. I ranked this high because it converts guard passing into predictable sequences using grips and pressure most gyms already train.

Why Travis Stevens?

Travis Stevens is a 3x Olympic judoka who won silver in 2016. He holds a BJJ black belt under John Danaher and Renzo Gracie. His coaching emphasizes grip strategy, pressure, and positional purpose. BJJ Heroes profiles his dual black belt credentials and competitive pedigree. He teaches at FUJI Gym in Massachusetts and produces regular technique content.

Community feedback

Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.

😍 Why People Love It

Lapel-based Sao Paulo-style details get shoutouts for making pressure passing easier.
Concept-first layout helps you link passes rather than chase moves.
Several redditors praise Stevens for clear gripping and passing explanations.