Roger Gracie teaches a complete closed guard that turns simple grips into chokes, armlocks, sweeps and reliable back takes you can use against anyone.
The Bottom Line
You learn Roger's exact sequence for breaking posture, controlling sleeves and collars, and finishing high-percentage chokes and armlocks from closed guard. He shows when to switch to sweeps or back attacks if the choke stalls. You will not find no-gi material here, but the gi fundamentals translate well if you already play closed guard in no-gi.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Gi players all levels
Skip if: You only train no-gi
Tech focus: Closed Guard, Cross Collar Choke, Armbar, Scissor Sweep, Back Take, Kimura
Biggest takeaway: Posture breaks make chokes easy.
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What You'll Learn
Roger Gracie is widely regarded as the best closed guard player in history. This 4-part series organizes his highest percentage chokes, armlocks, sweeps, and back takes into a clean, repeatable system. Chapters cover posture-breaking, grip fighting, and the exact finishing details that made his cross collar choke famous.
The material is gi-focused and fundamentals-first, so you can plug it straight into class rounds without learning a new meta.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Closed Guard
- Cross Collar Choke
- Armbar
- Kimura
- Lapel Choke
- Scissor Sweep
- Back Take
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Gi
- Runtime: 1 hour and 28 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Buy it now. I saw how posture control before attacking doubles my submission rate from closed guard.
Why Roger Gracie?
Roger Gracie is a 10-time IBJJF black belt world champion and 2-time ADCC champion. He is known for a fundamentals-first style that finished elite opponents with basics. His trademark cross collar choke from mount and precise pressure passing defined an era. BJJHeroes ranks him among the greatest ever and documents an 82 percent submission win rate at black belt. He leads the Roger Gracie Academy in London and teaches a calm, structured approach.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- People praise the simple details that make basics bite harder.
- Clear priorities and no fluff; great pacing for study blocks.
- Old-school moves shown with competition-tested grips and angles.
- Great for white to black belt; everyone can score from it.
- Users say it improved their collar choke finishing immediately.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Mostly gi; no dedicated no-gi sections.
- Shorter runtime than some mega sets at this price.
- A few prefer Danaher for more contingencies and theory depth.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Closed Guard: BJJ Fundamentals – Go Further Faster by John Danaher – Broader theory and contingencies for closed guard. (Price: $197.00, 2021)
- Side Closed Guard Attacks by Xande Ribeiro – Alternative angle-based closed guard system.
- The Gracie Secrets: Closed Guard by Kyra Gracie – Budget-friendly classic closed guard attacks. (Price: $97.00, 2021)
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View The Roger Gracie Closed Guard System on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
