YR Sports Lab
Your opponent sits down in butterfly guard and you are still working out how to get around his legs. The Cartwheel Pass offers a blunt answer: plant one hand and flip over like a gymnast, landing straight on his back. This guide covers the steps, Nick Rodriguez's variation, entries, risks and counter ideas, and states plainly that we found neither a recognized inventor nor reliable usage statistics.
1. Origin and Story: No Agreed Inventor, but a Well-Known Face
The name comes from the gymnastics cartwheel. Within the scope of our search (October 2026), no source clearly says who invented this pass or when, so we give no inventor and no year. Neither the BJJEE nor the Evolve technique article discusses its history.
The face of the technique: Nick Rodriguez
A BJJEE report dated 2019/11/24 says the 230 lb Nick Rodriguez was seen using the pass several times at ADCC, throwing opponents off and leaping straight over their guards. BJJEE also posted a lesson video titled "How To Do The Cartwheel Guard Pass w/ Nick Rodriguez ADCC Silver Medalist". Evolve likewise presents him as its leading user and details his variation.
These sources describe him as a user and promoter; none says he invented it.
Wikipedia's Nick Rodriguez entry records that he was born on August 30, 1996, grew up in Clayton, New Jersey, trained under John Danaher at Renzo Gracie Academy, belonged to the Danaher Death Squad, joined B Team Jiu Jitsu after that team split in 2021, and was promoted to black belt in December 2023. For results it lists a 2019 ADCC World Championship silver in the +99 kg division (losing the final to Kaynan Duarte) and a 2022 ADCC World Championship silver in the +99 kg division (losing the final to Gordon Ryan). FloGrappling's live coverage of the 2022 event also confirms he lost the final to a Ryan heel hook at 2:15, again a silver medal.
Another documented user is Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza: a BJJEE article dated 2023/05/21 shows him using the Cartwheel Pass as a counter when an opponent pulls guard. That article does not cover the pass's history or specific matches.
Related passing guides on this site for comparison: Long Step Pass, Over-Under Pass, Body Lock Pass, and the broader topic page BJJ guard passing system (Chinese).
2. Mechanics: Stance, Post, Flip Over, Seat the Back
The table follows the standard version in Evolve's article (set up with the left foot forward); step order follows that article:
| Stage | Key points |
|---|---|
| ① Stance | Staggered stance with the left foot forward |
| ② Post | Plant the left hand on the mat between the opponent's legs |
| ③ Fix the shoulder | Put the right hand on the opponent's right shoulder to help the rotation and hold him in place |
| ④ Flip over | Cartwheel over the guard and land behind him |
| ⑤ Seat the back | Lock a seatbelt grip on landing; the article stresses each step must be fluid so the opponent has no time to react |
| ⑥ Finish | If he defends against expected hooks, go straight to a rear-naked choke |
Evolve also details Nick Rodriguez's variation: first bait the opponent into pressing forward from his seated guard, grab one wrist with the left hand and plant the left foot between his feet; put your head beside his left shoulder and drive off the right leg while the left leg stays grounded; use the right hand to clear his head and post behind his neck, or use the left shoulder to press his head down while keeping the grip. On landing, use a wrist-to-wrist seatbelt and finish with a choke without hooks; only if he turns to the side do you insert hooks and move to a body triangle.
For the finish, see the Rear Naked Choke guide for how back control connects to the submission.
3. Entries and Setups
Both technique articles describe the same logic: the opponent's guard has momentarily stopped his legs from being an obstacle.
First, the opponent sits in a seated guard. Evolve says the pass fits seated guards such as butterfly best, and can sometimes skip the guard and reach the back directly.
Second, a standard open guard. It can also be used against a standard supinated open guard, but you must strip the opponent's grips first.
Third, between other passing attempts. Evolve finds it works best between other passing attempts, meaning it is a change-up rather than your first move.
Fourth, the moment the opponent pulls guard. BJJEE shows Jacare using it as a counter to a guard pull.
The common setup principle
The trigger is an opponent who presses forward or expects a conventional pass. Rodriguez's variation baits the opponent into pressing forward, then jumps while his weight is leaning in; Evolve also notes that opponents may defend against expected hooks, and the Rodriguez version goes straight to a choke.
4. Strengths and Limits
| Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|
| Can skip the guard and reach the back, avoiding a step-by-step leg battle | Evolve calls it risky and athletically demanding, needing power, agility and balance |
| Works in both gi and no-gi | Many grapplers avoid it because they cannot yet do a basic cartwheel |
| Mixes well with other passes for variety | Repeated use lets the opponent anticipate it |
| On landing you can go straight to a choke or a body triangle | Against open guard the grips must be stripped first, which adds conditions |
BJJEE's caution
A BJJEE article dated 2023/11/23 opens by calling this one of the guard passes that can seem dangerous and complicated, worth learning only once you know the details and timing. In other words, it is not something to try carelessly in your first week.
5. Common Counters
Neither technique article has a dedicated counter section, so everything below is our own technical inference from the steps, not a research conclusion:
First, manage the grips and distance. Evolve says that against an open guard the passer must first strip the grips, so a defender who keeps his grips and distance removes a precondition. This is our inference. Evolve also has a guard retention drill (the partner scoots the hips forward, crosses the ankles and returns to a supinated open guard), but the article uses it as a warm-up for practicing the cartwheel and does not call it a counter, so treat it as reference only.
Second, do not defend only against back hooks. Evolve notes that opponents tend to expect hooks and recommends going straight to a rear-naked choke on landing. Our inference: a defender who guards only against hooks can neglect the neck.
Third, do not let the same setup repeat. Evolve notes that repeated use lets the opponent anticipate it. Our inference: once he has seen it, he can adjust distance and grips earlier next time.
Follow-ups when it is countered
When the opponent recovers guard and closes the distance, return to conventional passing such as Long Step Pass or Over-Under Pass and keep the Cartwheel as a later change-up.
When he turns to the side after you land, follow Evolve's Rodriguez variation: insert hooks and move to a body triangle.
6. How Often It Appears in Competition
IBJJF and ADCC publish only placings and brackets, not per-technique statistics. Within the scope of our search, we found no reliable third-party usage statistics for the Cartwheel Pass (retrieved October 2026), so we give no percentages and describe it only qualitatively.
Two things can be confirmed. First, BJJEE (2019/11) reported Rodriguez using it several times at ADCC. Second, FloGrappling's coverage of Rodriguez's 2022 ADCC matches (against Damon Ramos, John Hansen, Felipe Pena and Gordon Ryan) does not mention the pass, so we do not tie his 2022 results to it. That report says only that he used it several times at ADCC and does not clearly say which edition.
7. Safety: Landing and Neck
We found no study that measures injury rates for this pass, so the principles below are conservative training rules, not research conclusions. Evolve calls the pass high risk and demanding in power, agility and balance, and recommends building the basics with progressive drills rather than forcing it in live rolling.
・Practice solo cartwheels on soft mats first, then add the uneven-height version (Evolve suggests raising one hand on a small medicine ball)
・Drill slowly with a non-resisting partner to settle the posting hand and landing spot before adding speed
・Be gentle when clearing the head and neck, and do not press the opponent's head down forcefully
・If you finish with a choke on the back, follow the choke safety principles (Chinese) and release the instant your partner taps
・If persistent pain, weakness or limited motion appears in the posting wrist, shoulder or neck, stop training and see a doctor
FAQ
What is the Cartwheel Pass?
The Cartwheel Pass is a guard pass that cartwheels over the opponent and lands on the back. Evolve says it suits seated guards best and can sometimes skip the guard entirely; against a standard open guard you must first strip the grips.
Who invented the Cartwheel Pass?
This article could not find a recognized inventor. What can be checked: BJJEE reported in 2019 that Nick Rodriguez used it several times at ADCC, and Evolve presents him as its best-known user with his own variation, but neither says he invented it.
Can I learn the Cartwheel Pass if I cannot cartwheel?
Yes, start with low-risk drills. Evolve notes that many people avoid the pass because they cannot do a basic cartwheel, and suggests cartwheeling with one hand on a small medicine ball to raise it, then moving to a bigger ball over time.
How do I defend against the Cartwheel Pass?
Do not be predictable, and do not defend only against back hooks. This is our own inference from the steps, not a research conclusion. Evolve also has a guard retention drill (hip scoot, crossed ankles, return to guard), but it presents it as a warm-up for practicing the cartwheel, not as a counter to the pass.
References
1. Evolve MMA. How To Perform The Cartwheel Pass In BJJ. evolve-mma.com (retrieved October 2026; supports the entries, standard steps, Rodriguez variation, risks and limits, guard retention warm-up and progression drill)
2. BJJEE. How To Move Like ADCC Medalist Nick Rodriguez (2019/11/24). bjjee.com (third-party report, retrieved October 2026; supports Rodriguez at 230 lb, repeated ADCC use of the Cartwheel Pass and the lesson video title)
3. BJJEE. Ronaldo Jacare Souza Shows a Cartwheel Pass Counter to the Guard Pull (2023/05/21). bjjee.com (retrieved October 2026; supports Jacare demonstrating the Cartwheel Pass against a guard pull)
4. BJJEE. Here's How To Do The Cartwheel Pass in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (2023/11/23). bjjee.com (retrieved October 2026; supports the "dangerous and complicated" caution and the Rodriguez demonstration)
5. Wikipedia. Nick Rodriguez. en.wikipedia.org (retrieved October 2026; supports birth date, training lineage and teams, 2019 and 2022 ADCC +99 kg silver medals and the December 2023 black belt)
6. FloGrappling. 2022 ADCC World Championships live updates and results. flograppling.com (third-party event coverage, retrieved October 2026; supports Rodriguez's 2022 +99 kg match results and the final lost to a Ryan heel hook)