An upright butterfly guard that ties grips, sweeps, and x-guard together.
The Bottom Line
You will learn a proactive seated guard with easy sweeps. You will not get a supine, distance-kicking style. Expect posture and grip rules that scale to no-gi and gi.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Smaller sweepers
Skip if: You play supine
Tech focus: Butterfly Guard, 2 On 1, X Guard Links
Biggest takeaway: Posture beats pressure
📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)
What You'll Learn
MG’s upright, wrestling-influenced seated guard with belt, sleeve, lapel, and 2-on-1 options. Covers go-to sweeps, counters when opponents post, and links to x-guard and single-leg X.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Butterfly Guard
- Upright Seated Guard
- 2 On 1
- Belt Grips
- X Guard Links
- Lapel Controls
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Both
- Runtime: 2 hours and 11 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I like how it turns guard into offensive wrestling with sleeves and lapels as scaffolding.
Why Marcelo Garcia?
MG’s butterfly guard has influenced a generation; his students apply the same upright principles.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Community staple; MG is ‘the’ butterfly guy.
- Seated posture cues help small athletes sweep big partners.
- Great connectors to x-guard and SLX.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Some prefer Wardzinski’s flavor for gi play.
- Gordon’s open guard sets are more exhaustive.
- Against heavy passers, seated entries need strong timing.
Smart Alternatives
- The Marcelo X Guard – Natural next step from seated to x-guard. (Price: $149.00, 4 vols)
Sources & References
Official listing: View The Marcelo Guard: Mastering The Butterfly Guard on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
