The Williams guard is a position in BJJ which involves trapping the opponent’s arm between your own arm and leg. Typically entered from the Closed guard or half guard positions, it then enables a number of attacks such as the Omoplata, Triangle and Armbar. With this said, it can be considered a very aggressive position to enter due to the number of submissions available, although it doesn’t have too many sweeps.
The name Williams guard comes from its creator, Shawn Williams. A Renzo Gracie black belt, Williams was not only a fierce competitor but also an innovator in terms of exploring new positions.
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Mechanics and Entry of the Williams Guard
The Williams guard works by trapping the opponent’s arm. Typically this is done via the closed guard position but can also be done via bottom half guard. To trap the arm you need to be on your side to create an angle, almost like you’re ready to attack an Omoplata. The next step is to bring your leg forward so it’s touching the opponent’s shoulder. From there you hug your own leg under the knee. This is almost like getting an overhook on your own leg, which pins the opponent’s arm between your leg and arm.
It can also be entered from closed guard when the opponent is defending a Kimura. With their arm isolated, they will often try to bring their head back inside closer to their shoulder. This eases the pressure on their arm and in time they can start to posture and escape the Kimura submission. However, whilst they are doing this, their posture will be temporarily down to bring their head closer to the Kimura arm. At this point, you can easily connect your arms around the leg of their other arm and ease into the Williams position.
The next step is to then position your arms. Here you should connect the arm around your leg with your other arm via gable grip. This not only tightens the leg knot but also pushes the opponent’s head away. By positioning their head away from your it means they can’t turn into you as well. By doing this the position is more secure and stops the opponent from escaping as easily.
Because of this tight clamp, it is incredibly difficult for the opponent to free their arm which is made even harder with the friction added by the Gi. At this point, you have now entered Williams guard and can start attacking the available options.
The Williams guard can also be entered via bottom half guard with the same setup. Remember to free the bottom leg inside half guard though as otherwise it could harm your position. In Z guard you’re already on the side so it is somewhat easier to set up in terms of the leg pin, but taking out the bottom leg is crucial.
Submissions from Williams guard
Once in Williams guard there are a variety of submissions available, so it is considered an aggressive position. It should be noted that Williams guard mostly attacks submissions rather than sweeps. The first option is an Omoplata which is quite obvious looking at the position as a spectator.
As the arm is already pinned, the next step is to shoot the leg over their shoulder. From here you have now achieved the Omoplata.and can finish it by hipping out to flatten the opponent. The next step is to lean towards the trapped elbow to put a strain on the joint.
Another attack from Williams guard is the Triangle. As the Triangle is entered similarly to the Omoplata you can do the same here. With the opponent’s arm trapped in the leg knot, you can then kick your other leg over their neck to create the Triangle. From this point the Triangle can be finished by pushing their head into your legs and creating the correct angle to secure the finish.
Lastly, the Armbar can also be done via the Williams position. This set up is different to the previous two and is more of a reactive attack rather than proactive. Here, if the opponent postures and begins the escape, you should grab their far arm (whilst keeping the knot with your other arm). As the opponent begins to break up, you should then kick the leg over their head and attack the arm. With this accomplished, the Armbar is now set up.
Escapes against Williams guard
The Williams guard can be escaped and passed by removing the legs. To enter the Williams guard you must open the closed guard and create the angle. With the legs open it is possible to jump to the side of the far leg. If timed correctly then you can pass directly into side control. A large part of this escape depends on your head position and posture.
If postured down and controlled then it can be very tough to escape, but if you can get up and pin the far leg with your hand then you can start to pass.
Because of this, even though the Williams guard is a very offensive position, it is also prone to getting passed from this method.
Summary
In summary, the Williams guard is a good attacking option to have. It works especially well against stalling opponents and can also be done in MMA. The move is also played by MMA coach Neil Melanson who calls it the Shoulder pin guard. It is popular in MMA since there is more emphasis to attack your opponent rather than take 2 points and stall in a BJJ competition. As mentioned the guard can be passed so it is not perfect, but this can also be said for every guard in BJJ. Whilst talking about BJJ, another benefit of the Williams guard is also that it is used in both gi and nogi, meaning that it makes for a versatile position whatever the occasion.
