The Pendejo Guard by Craig Jones – In-Depth Review

A concise no-gi guard system that turns knee shield and RDLR into quick wrestle-ups and clean leg entries.

The Bottom Line

You get a focused mini-system that teaches grips, direction changes, and off-balances from pendejo guard. Entries tie into false reap and cross ashi, with a clever heel exposure finish. It is not a beginner fundamentals course, but it is a fast way to add a modern no-gi guard that produces real sweeps and submissions.

⚡️ Quick facts

Best for: No-gi guard players and leg lockers

Skip if: You train only gi fundamentals

Tech focus: Reverse De La Riva, False Reap, Wrestle Up, Heel Hook, Leg Entanglements

Biggest takeaway: Simple grips create fast heel exposure.

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What You'll Learn

Craig Jones gives away a compact system on his modern open guard variant that funnels to wrestle-ups and leg entanglements. You learn grips, off-balances, and a signature heel hook exposure from cross ashi.
It is short, focused, and immediately usable for no-gi players who already connect knee shield, reverse de la riva, and false reap mechanics.

Primary Techniques You'll Drill

  • Reverse De La Riva
  • False Reap
  • Wrestle Up
  • Heel Hook
  • Grip Fighting
  • Leg Entanglements

Format & Level

  • Instructional style: System Based, Conceptual
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Format: No-Gi
  • Runtime: 37 hours and 8 minutes
  • Volumes: 1
  • Released: 2022

Should You Buy It?

Buy it now. I found the wrestle-up chains make the position feel safe even when leg entries fail.

Why Craig Jones?

Craig Jones is an Australian black belt under Lachlan Giles. He is a two-time ADCC silver medalist and co-founded B-Team Jiu-Jitsu in Austin. Craig is known for innovative leg attacks and a modern bottom game. He has coached and trained with elite no-gi athletes and regularly headlines major superfight cards. His instructionals are concise, practical, and often include novel entries tied to current competition trends.

Community feedback

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

😍 Why People Love It

  • Users recommended it as a new guard to try when asking for fresh options.
  • Redditors rushed to grab the free drop and told others to claim it early.
  • People liked how it links false reap entries with wrestle-ups from knee shield.
  • Thread reactions were positive about getting a complete position for free.

🤔 Common Criticisms

  • Some argued it is just a rebranded reverse de la riva variant.
  • Commenters warned beginners not to chase hype and skip fundamentals first.
  • A few felt overlap with Craig’s False Reap course made it redundant.

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Sources & References

Video Breakdowns

Official listing: View The Pendejo Guard on BJJ Fanatics

Additional References

Your next step

You have the breakdown, community feedback, and my final thoughts. Now it’s your move.

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