Knee-on-Belly Escape — Bridge Escape

The bridge escape from knee-on-belly uses explosive hip and shoulder movement to unbalance the opponent and create space for recovery. By bridging upward and toward the opponent, the defender forces a shift in weight distribution, often causing the top player to lose stability. This creates an opening to slip the hips out and recover guard or half guard. Timing is critical—bridging too early or late can leave the defender vulnerable to strikes in MMA contexts or allow the opponent to adjust their base in sport BJJ.