Harpoon Sweep to Omoplata

Santino Achille is a brown belt under Pedro Sauer and son of Sonny Achille, a Pedro Sauer black belt. Santino is an instructor at Steel City Martial Arts and is shown here demonstrating a technique with professional MMA fighter Dave Sachs (in the photographs).

The harpoon sweep is an excellent counter for an opponent standing to pass your guard that leaves you with the option to take side control or transition to the omoplata.

Here is a video of the technique in action:

• Step 1

Santino starts with Dave in his guard. Santino is controlling both of Dave’s sleeves.
• Step 2

Dave stands in Santino’s guard. Santino places both of his feet on Dave’s hips.
• Step 3

Santino pushes on Dave’s thigh with his left leg, forcing Dave to step back.
• Step 4

Maintaining his grip on Dave’s sleeves, Santino hooks his leg in the crook of Dave’s forward arm. Notice how Santino has begun to swivel his hips underneath Dave.
• Step 5

Santino uses his left leg to hook Dave’s forward leg and reaches in front of Dave’s shin (keeping his knuckles facing away) to help him rotate his hips.
• Step 6

Still holding on to Dave’s sleeve with his right hand, Santino rotates underneath Dave, keeping his hips up.
• Step 7

Santino grabs his own ankle with his left hand and pushes away with both legs to sweep Dave.
• Step 8

Dave topples and Santino begins to take top position by releasing his grip on Dave’s leg. Note how Santino has maintained his grip on Dave’s left sleeve throughout the technique and how his foot has hooked inside Dave’s arm. At this point, Santino could take side control, but instead he goes for the omoplata.
• Step 9

Without letting go of Dave’s sleeve, Santino looks away and rolls to begin trapping Dave’s arm for the omoplata.
• Step 9b

Another angle of the roll.
• Step 10

Santino completes the roll, making sure to keep Dave’s arm trapped tightly with his leg. He finishes the omoplata by controlling Dave’s far shoulder and leaning forward.