Pin first, then finish; Roger shows side control pressure and choke chains that flow cleanly to mount and back.
The Bottom Line
You learn how to hold heavy without squeezing and when to free your hands for grips. The choke suite is classic and pairs well with slow, safe transitions. If you want lapel wizardry or no-gi variations, this is not that set.
⚡️ Quick facts
Best for: Top control builders
Skip if: You need no-gi
Tech focus: Side Control, Kimura, Paper Cutter Choke, Baseball Bat Choke, Triangle
Biggest takeaway: Pinning beats scrambling.
📋 Jump to a section (Click to expand)
What You'll Learn
A 4-part tour of Roger's top control: how to pin, force reactions, and layer chokes and armlocks with minimal risk. Includes lapel chokes, paper-cutter, baseball bat, triangles, and clean transitions to mount or the back. Demonstrations feature Mauricio Gomes, adding lineage context.
Primary Techniques You'll Drill
- Side Control
- Kimura
- Paper Cutter Choke
- Baseball Bat Choke
- Triangle
- Mount Transition
- Back Take
Format & Level
- Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
- Skill level: All Levels
- Format: Gi
- Runtime: 2 hours and 9 minutes
- Volumes: 4
Should You Buy It?
Wait for daily deal. I stopped hunting submissions first and my side control finishes skyrocketed.
Why Roger Gracie?
Roger Gracie built his top game on pinning and pressure, not speed. His competition record shows how basic grips, applied perfectly, overwhelm elites. BJJHeroes highlights his signature cross collar choke and controlled transitions. Expect calm, precise teaching with lineage context via Mauricio Gomes.
Community feedback
Here’s a summary of common feedback from platforms like Reddit’s r/bjj.
😍 Why People Love It
- Fans like the emphasis on pinning before submissions.
- Details help free your hands without losing chest pressure.
- Nice structure for chaining to mount or back when defenses appear.
- Short drills make it easy to retain between rounds.
🤔 Common Criticisms
- Primarily gi grips; limited no-gi variants.
- Some want more escape troubleshooting from bottom reactions.
- Not as flashy as modern lapel systems.
Free Preview Lesson
Smart Alternatives
- Systematically Attacking From Top Pins: Side Control & North-South by Gordon Ryan – Deep no-gi side control attacks with live footage. (2021)
Sources & References
Video Breakdowns
Official listing: View The Roger Gracie Side Control System on BJJ Fanatics
Additional References
Your next step
You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.
