YR Sports Lab
When a BJJ match starts standing, besides pulling guard, one of the most common active takedowns is to drop your hips and wrap both of the opponent's thighs: the Double Leg Takedown. Judo calls it morote gari, wrestling treats it as a core attack, yet no single inventor can be named, and few people warn you that putting your head in the wrong place leaves a guillotine waiting. This entry breaks down its name and history, five-step mechanics, four variations, entry timing, strengths and limits, common counters, and how often it actually appeared at ADCC 2024.
1. Origins: An Ancient Takedown With No Inventor, Once Restricted Even in Judo
The Double Leg Takedown has no single inventor. Evolve's technical article says only that its history goes back to ancient times and that it is a basic movement shared by wrestling, BJJ and MMA; judo calls the same movement morote gari. This article could not find a reliable source crediting any one person, so it does not invent an origin story and states only what could be verified.
A Takedown Even the Judo Federation Restricted
According to Wikipedia's "Takedown (grappling)" entry, the International Judo Federation (IJF) prohibited the direct use of morote gari in competition in 2010, allowing it only as a counter or as part of a combination. That makes the double leg one of the few takedowns restricted in judo competition yet still legal in wrestling and IBJJF matches. Fight Encyclopedia also records the 2010 ban and adds that the penalty escalated to direct disqualification (hansoku-make) in 2013; check the current IJF rules for details.
So the same movement meets different fates under different rulesets: per Fight Encyclopedia, the double leg is legal at all IBJJF levels, in NCAA folkstyle wrestling and under Unified Rules MMA, but prohibited in UWW Greco-Roman wrestling (accessed 2026/10). For the one-leg version and how the two divide the work standing, see our Single Leg Takedown entry.
2. Mechanics: Change Levels, Penetrate, Head Outside, Grab Thighs Not Knees
According to Fight Encyclopedia's mechanics summary, a successful double leg works by "disrupting the opponent's base" and moving their center of gravity outside the support polygon. The motion breaks into five steps:
| Stage | Key Points |
|---|---|
| ① Level Change | Drop your hips below the opponent's hands with bent knees and a straight spine, rather than bending over at the waist |
| ② Penetration Step | Drive the lead foot forward so the knee passes the opponent's front toe and you end up between their feet |
| ③ Head Placement | Drive the forehead into the opponent's sternum, with the head outside the hip line rather than on the centerline |
| ④ Arm Wrap | Clasp both arms behind the thighs, at the thighs rather than at the knees |
| ⑤ Drive, Lift or Redirect | Drive forward, lift, or redirect sideways depending on the reaction, moving the opponent's center of gravity off their base |
The beginner mistakes Evolve lists revolve around the same steps: shooting from too far (measure the distance with your hands, like a jab in boxing), bad posture, crashing the lead knee (slide it diagonally instead), and hesitation. Fight Encyclopedia singles out the most dangerous error as "head in the hole": placing the head on the centerline between the opponent's hips directly exposes you to a guillotine. Other errors include a shallow penetration, wrapping the knees instead of the thighs, a rounded spine, and shooting with no setup.
3. Entry Timing and Setups: Draw the Head Up First, Then Go Under
Evolve's teaching sets up the double leg by drawing out a reaction first and then dropping to shoot. Two typical entries:
First, pull the head down with a collar tie and wait for the opponent to posture up. The basic version starts from a staggered stance with your hand clamped on the opponent's neck in a collar tie. Pull the head down; the natural reaction is to posture up. That moment is when you change levels, take the penetration step, lock your hands behind the knees, and drag the opponent to the side.
Second, the Blast Double: shoot straight in from a low stance. Start low, post a hand on the opponent's shoulder and club the head to square their stance, then take the penetration step while keeping your chest up, hips under you and rear foot posted.
Once the legs are wrapped, Evolve lists two common continuations: keep your head beside the opponent's stomach, drop the lead knee, apply a body lock and stand to spin behind for the back; or add an inside ankle trip as you grab behind the knee to help the opponent fall.
Fight Encyclopedia sorts the double leg into four variations that you can switch between depending on the reaction:
| Variation | Entry Depth | Finish | Better Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blast Double | Deep | Forward drive | Reactive opponents who push back |
| Snatch Double | Medium | Lateral or upward pull | Passive opponents standing tall |
| Low Double | Very deep (below the knees) | Lift and dump | Taller opponents |
| Run-the-Pipe | Deep | Lateral redirection | Opponents posting hard on the mat |
4. Strengths and Limitations
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Controls both legs, so once wrapped the opponent's base is taken away entirely and the finish is cleaner than a single leg | Commits your weight deeper; once the head is misplaced, guillotine and front headlock risks appear immediately |
| No gi grips required, so it works in gi or no-gi, with many variations (blast, lift, redirect, trip) | If the opponent sprawls first, the room for the penetration step and the wrap shrinks sharply |
| Connects to back-take or top-control continuations, so you have choices after the takedown | Shooting from too far or with no setup makes the motion easy to read |
5. Common Counters
Wikipedia groups the counters to the double leg as sprawling, moving away, and the guillotine, while Fight Encyclopedia lists five mainstream counters. The core idea is to act before the wrap is complete:
First, the sprawl. Throw both legs back, drive the hips down and put your chest on the attacker's upper back. This is the most basic and most common counter.
Second, sprawl plus cross-face. While sprawling, run your arm across the attacker's face and push outward, forcing the head up and the attacker to give up the wrap.
Third, the whizzer or overhook. Hook your arm over the attacker's shoulder to limit how tightly the hands can clasp behind the thighs.
Fourth, the guillotine. If the attacker's head is on your centerline, wrap the neck and squeeze. Wikipedia and Fight Encyclopedia both name this as a main counter. See our Guillotine Choke entry for the finishing details.
Fifth, the front headlock. After the sprawl, control the attacker with the arm and front headlock, turning defense into offense.
Options After Being Sprawled On
If the opponent sprawls and drives down, don't force the wrap. Wikipedia lists moving away and the guillotine among the counters; flipped around, the attacker should first move the head to the outside of the hips, off the centerline, and then decide whether to switch to a single leg, stand up and reset, or pull guard.
If the opponent starts locking a guillotine, deal with the neck before the takedown. Pull your head out of the wrapping angle and keep your body tight so the opponent cannot complete the squeeze. That is the first priority in this situation.
6. Competition Frequency
The double leg does show up regularly at ADCC, the premier no-gi submission grappling event. According to JiuJitsu News, citing BJJ Heroes' count of the male divisions at the ADCC World Championships held 17 to 18 August 2024 in Las Vegas (third-party statistics, accessed 2026/10), 62 successful takedowns were recorded:
| Takedown Type | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Single Leg | 15 | Most common takedown in the male divisions |
| Double Leg | 13 | Second most common |
| Uchi Mata, De Ashi Barai, etc. | 5 each | Judo-style throws are noticeably less frequent |
| Body Lock | 4 |
The same count notes that the male divisions had 63 guard pulls against 62 takedowns, "almost one-to-one", rebutting the claim that guard pulls outnumber takedowns eight to one. Keep in mind that these are numbers from one event's ruleset and one year's field, and they should not be applied directly to gi matches under IBJJF rules. On the rules side, per Fight Encyclopedia, the double leg is legal at all IBJJF levels and scores 2 points (version accessed 2026/10).
7. Safety Notes
The double leg carries two main risks. The first is the attacker's neck: a head on the opponent's hip centerline puts your neck into a guillotine. The second is the knee: a 2005 case report in Iowa Orthop J reviewed six anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears among University of Iowa NCAA Division I wrestlers in the 2002 to 2003 season, 83% of which happened during takedowns, mostly with the weight-bearing knee near terminal extension and under rotational stress. With only six cases, it is a warning about injury mechanism, not an incidence rate. For landing and break-falls, see our BJJ takedown defense feature.
・Always keep your head outside the opponent's hip, never on the centerline
・Learn the sprawl and break-falls before drilling the takedown, and start slowly
・Keep the lead knee pointed along the toes on the penetration step so it can't be twisted under load
・When sprawled on, don't hold the wrap to the bitter end; letting go early beats a knee sprain
FAQ
What is the Double Leg Takedown, and how is it different from the Single Leg?
The Double Leg Takedown wraps both of the opponent's legs at once: you change levels, penetrate between their feet, then drive, lift or redirect them to the mat, whereas the Single Leg grabs just one leg. Once wrapped, a double leg takes away the opponent's whole base, but it commits your weight deeper, so a sprawl or guillotine costs more.
Who invented the Double Leg?
No single person did. The double leg is an old basic movement shared by wrestling, judo and other takedown systems, and teaching sources say only that it goes back to ancient times. Judo calls it morote gari, and the IJF has prohibited its direct use in judo competition since 2010, keeping it only as a counter or combination.
Can a white belt practice the Double Leg?
Yes. The double leg is legal at every IBJJF level and scores 2 points, and it is one of the first takedowns a white belt meets. Learn the level change, the penetration step and head position first, and practice break-falls under a coach before adding resistance, to protect the knees and neck.
How do you defend when someone shoots a double leg?
The most direct defense is to sprawl immediately: throw your legs back and drive the hips down, adding a cross-face or whizzer if needed. If the attacker's head sits on your centerline, you can also switch to a guillotine. Every counter has to start before the wrap is complete, because room shrinks fast once the legs are locked.
Is the Double Leg common in BJJ competition?
It is fairly common under no-gi submission grappling rules. According to JiuJitsu News citing BJJ Heroes' count of the male divisions at the August 2024 ADCC World Championships (accessed 2026/10), double legs made up 13 of 62 successful takedowns, second only to the single leg at 15; the same event had 63 guard pulls, almost one-to-one with takedowns.
References
1. Wikipedia contributors. Takedown (grappling). en.wikipedia.org/Takedown_(grappling) (accessed 2026/10; supports the definition of the double leg, the sprawl, move-away and guillotine counters, and the IJF's 2010 ban on morote gari for direct use in judo competition, retained only as a counter or combination)
2. Evolve MMA. Everything You Need to Know About The Double Leg Takedown. evolve-mma.com (accessed 2026/10; supports the ancient origin, the judo name morote gari, the collar-tie basic version, the Blast Double, the back-take and ankle-trip continuations, and the four common mistakes)
3. Fight Encyclopedia. What Is a Double Leg Takedown? Mechanics, Variations, and Competition Data. fightencyclopedia.com (accessed 2026/10; third-party compilation; supports the five-step mechanics, four variations, five mainstream counters, the "head in the hole" error, the 2 points in IBJJF and the legality by ruleset)
4. JiuJitsu News. Best BJJ Takedowns: With Statistics & Modern Techniques!. jiujitsu-news.com (accessed 2026/10; supports BJJ Heroes' count of the male divisions at ADCC 2024 in Las Vegas, 17–18 August: 62 takedowns and 63 guard pulls, 13 double legs against 15 single legs; third-party statistics)
5. Lightfoot AJ, McKinley T, Doyle M, Amendola A. (2005). ACL tears in collegiate wrestlers: report of six cases in one season. Iowa Orthop J;25:145-8. PubMed PMID 16089088 (supports the statement that 83% of six ACL tears happened during takedowns, mostly with the weight-bearing knee near terminal extension under rotational stress; only six cases)