A deep review of Craig Jones’ system for playing guard with wrestling-based stand-ups, turtle offense, and innovative guard positions like reverse Z guard and false half guard.
Last updated: March 2026
Power Bottom by Craig Jones
The B-Team bottom game: wrestling up, gaining height from guard, and making turtle an offensive weapon.
- ⏰ 5 hours 34 minutes
- 📅 Released January 2022
- 🎯 Craig Jones
- 🥋 No-gi
- 🏆 6 volumes
Product Details
| Full Title | The B Team Bottom Game: Imparting Wrestling, Turtling, and Heisting For Superior Results |
| Instructor | Craig Jones |
| Runtime | 5 hours 34 minutes across 6 volumes |
| Volumes | 6 (first 4 ~45 min each, final 2 >60 min each) |
| Release Date | January 21, 2022 |
| Price | $197 retail (frequently 40-50% off during BJJ Fanatics sales) |
| Format | No-gi |
| Where to Buy | BJJ Fanatics |
What Power Bottom Is About
Power Bottom teaches a modern bottom game that combines traditional guard play with wrestling-based stand-ups. The core philosophy is simple: get up whenever you can, shoot for takedowns whenever you can, and go to turtle whenever you can.
Craig categorizes guard play by range. Long-range guard uses Reverse De La Riva, arm drags, and ankle picks. Mid-range guard connects Ashi Garami entries with front headlock transitions and shooting from seated positions. Short-range guard features two Craig Jones originals: reverse Z guard and false half guard.
The second half of the instructional treats turtle and the all-fours position as offensive weapons, not survival modes. Craig’s position is clear: turtle is much better than a bottom pin because you keep your ability to wrestle up, shoot, and enter leg locks. ADCC 2022 proved him right. Competitors used exactly these turtle escape techniques throughout the tournament.
Volume-by-Volume Breakdown
Volume 1: Mexican Concepts and Principles (~45 min)
Craig opens with his framework for guard decision-making, which he calls “Mexican concepts” (his naming conventions are famously terrible, but the content is excellent). This volume establishes the “if this, then that” decision trees that connect the entire system. The core principle: always try to gain height first. Everything from sweeps to submissions becomes easier when you can create momentum by dropping your weight. More importantly, as you gain height your opponent rushes to push you back down, creating openings for butterfly sweeps, leg entries, and takedowns.
Volume 2: Long-Range Guards (~45 min)
This volume covers seated guard work at distance. Craig teaches knee manipulation to open up single leg takedown options, Reverse De La Riva applications for controlling distance, arm drags from seated guard, ankle picks, and how to combine single leg attempts with leg lock entries when your opponent pushes back into you. The key insight: you don’t necessarily need to finish the wrestle-up. Just the threat of standing forces reactions you can exploit with traditional guard attacks.
Volume 3: Mid-Range Guards (~45 min)
The mid-range volume bridges seated guard and wrestling. Craig covers Ashi Garami entries from butterfly positions, front headlock transitions for when your opponent overcommits to pushing you down, and shooting options from seated and butterfly positions. This is where the wrestling-BJJ integration becomes most apparent. Every failed stand-up attempt chains into a leg lock entry or sweep.
Volume 4: Short-Range Guards (~45 min)
This is where Craig’s original guard innovations live. He introduces reverse Z guard (butterfly hook on the cross leg with an over-the-back grip) and false half guard (a bottom turtle position where you’ve stepped over one of your opponent’s legs). Both positions look like you’re about to get passed, but Craig shows multiple counters that end with you on top. The reverse Z guard is particularly useful for gaining height, and false half guard offers surprising offensive options from what appears to be a terrible position.
Volume 5: Turtle Position (>60 min)
The longest and most paradigm-shifting section. Craig argues that turtle is an offensive position, not just defensive survival. He covers roll-out techniques, Granby rolls, kneebar entries from turtle, and power half Nelson escapes. The key teaching: a single hook from the back is only 20% of the battle. Until they get the second hook, you have a strong chance of defending and getting on top. Craig also shows early and late stage back take defenses, including the running man escape.
Volume 6: Wrestling From All Fours (>60 min)
The final volume extends turtle into standing wrestling. Craig covers the all-fours position as a guard, rear body lock defense, judo throws from standing (Uchi Mata, Harai Goshi), and Ashi Garami entries from wrestling positions. He addresses the fear of getting suplexed or slammed from the rear body lock, explaining that it’s unlikely if you stay relaxed with forward posture. If you follow B-Team’s YouTube channel, you’ll see Craig hitting Harai Goshi from this position constantly. He’s only a yellow belt in Judo, but the throw works because of the setup.
What Makes Power Bottom Stand Out
- Guards categorized by range. Long, mid, and short range each get dedicated techniques and decision trees. Most guard instructionals just dump techniques by position name. Craig’s range framework tells you which tools to use based on how far away your opponent is.
- Wrestling and BJJ actually integrated. Craig doesn’t just add wrestling takedowns on top of guard play. Every wrestle-up attempt chains into leg locks or sweeps when it fails. You don’t need to finish the stand-up to benefit from the system.
- Turtle treated as offense. No other instructional commits this hard to turtle as an attacking position. Craig dedicates over 2 hours (volumes 5 and 6) to making turtle and all-fours into legitimate guard positions.
- Two original guard innovations. Reverse Z guard and false half guard are Craig Jones creations that look terrible but work. You won’t find these positions taught anywhere else.
- ADCC 2022 validated the system. Competitors at ADCC 2022 used the turtle escape techniques and wrestling-up concepts from this instructional throughout the tournament. This isn’t theory.
- Uniquely useful for MMA and self defense. The system forces you off your back. In MMA you can’t be punched if you’re wrestling up, and in self defense you always want to get back to your feet.
What Reviewers Say
“This is an awesome DVD, but for people that are purple belts and above, have previous No-Gi experience, and a working understanding of leg locks.”
Filip Zanki, BJJ World (9/10 rating)“Craig is a native English speaker who speaks clearly so it is easy to understand him. He is also very precise and concise, not wasting time on huge chapters that spin out into tangents.”
Filip Zanki, BJJ World“Despite showing some interesting new concepts that everyone can use even when starting from day one, it also requires previous knowledge of most of the positions mentioned, as well as the idea of playing guard in BJJ.”
Filip Zanki, BJJ WorldBJJ World scores: Overall 9/10. Technical quality 10/10. Content quality 9/10. The gap between technical and content scores reflects the advanced prerequisite knowledge required.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What’s Great
- Range-based framework makes guard selection intuitive
- Wrestling-up attempts chain into leg locks when they fail
- Turtle as offense is a genuine paradigm shift
- Craig is a clear, concise teacher with no filler
- System works for self defense, MMA, and competition alike
- ADCC-proven techniques, not untested theory
What’s Weak
- Requires purple belt level or above with existing no-gi experience. Filip Zanki of BJJ World rated content quality 9/10 specifically because of these prerequisites.
- Assumes a working knowledge of leg locks and Ashi Garami. If you don’t already know heel hooks and knee bars, you’ll miss half the follow-ups.
- Less structured than John Danaher’s guard instructionals, which progress more linearly from concept to application.
- Craig’s “Mexican concepts” naming convention is confusing at first. It’s his humor, but it can be disorienting.
- For beginners wanting a Craig Jones guard system, Make Z Guard Great Again is a better starting point with fewer prerequisites.
Who Should Buy / Who Should Skip
Buy Power Bottom if you…
- Are a purple belt or above with no-gi experience
- Already have a working knowledge of leg locks and Ashi Garami
- Want to modernize your guard game with wrestling integration
- Compete under ADCC or sub-only rules
- Train MMA or want your BJJ to work in self defense situations
- Struggle against defensive opponents who stall in your guard
- Want to learn turtle as an offensive position
Skip Power Bottom if you…
- Are a white belt or early blue belt still learning basic guard mechanics
- Have no no-gi experience (the system is entirely no-gi)
- Don’t know what Ashi Garami, heel hooks, or knee bars are
- Prefer highly structured, linear instruction (try Danaher’s guard system instead)
- Want a focused Z guard system (try Make Z Guard Great Again first)
Related Craig Jones Instructionals
Power Bottom is part of Craig’s broader competition system. Here’s how it connects to his other instructionals:
FAQ – Power Bottom by Craig Jones
Is Power Bottom good for beginners?
No. Power Bottom requires at least purple belt level experience with a working knowledge of no-gi grappling, leg locks, and Ashi Garami positions. Filip Zanki of BJJ World rated it 9/10 but specifically noted it requires previous knowledge of the positions covered. If you’re a beginner looking for a Craig Jones instructional, start with Make Z Guard Great Again instead.
What belt level do you need for Power Bottom?
Purple belt or above is the recommended minimum. You need existing experience with no-gi guard play, leg lock entries (heel hooks, knee bars), and Ashi Garami positions to get full value from the system. Blue belts with significant no-gi competition experience may also benefit, but the concepts assume familiarity with positions most blue belts haven’t drilled.
How does Power Bottom compare to Make Z Guard Great Again?
Power Bottom is a broader system covering guard play at all ranges (long, mid, short), plus turtle offense and wrestling from all fours. Make Z Guard Great Again focuses specifically on Z guard. They complement each other well. Power Bottom introduces reverse Z guard and false half guard, while Make Z Guard covers the standard Z guard in more depth. Most people recommend buying Make Z Guard first, then Power Bottom.
How long is Power Bottom by Craig Jones?
Power Bottom is 5 hours and 34 minutes across 6 volumes. The first 4 volumes are about 45 minutes each, covering long-range, mid-range, and short-range guards. The final 2 volumes are over 60 minutes each, covering turtle offense and wrestling from all fours.
Is Power Bottom worth it?
Yes, if you meet the prerequisites. BJJ World gave it 9/10 overall with 10/10 for technical quality. The system proved itself at ADCC 2022 where competitors used these exact turtle escape and wrestling-up techniques. The range-based guard framework and turtle-as-offense approach are genuine innovations. At retail price ($197) it’s a solid investment for intermediate to advanced no-gi grapplers, and it frequently goes on sale for 40-50% off.
Does Power Bottom work for gi training?
Power Bottom is designed entirely for no-gi. The wrestling-up concepts, turtle escapes, and standing judo throws all assume no grips on clothing. Some guard concepts (gaining height, range-based guard selection) translate to gi, but the specific techniques rely on no-gi body mechanics. For gi-focused guard work, consider Lachlan Giles’ Half Guard Anthology or John Danaher’s guard retention system instead.
Ready to Modernize Your Guard Game?
Craig Jones’ Power Bottom teaches the wrestling-integrated guard system that dominated ADCC 2022. 6 volumes, 5.5 hours of technique.
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