Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Breakdown : Keenan Cornelius’ “Worm Guard”
The name Keenan Cornelius has
been abuzz in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community since the time this young phenom
earned his purple belt. Cornelius quickly established himself as one of
the world’s most exciting prospects after winning double gold at purple belt in
prestigious BJJ tournaments such as the Pan Ams and the Mundials; the start of
the road to a notable streak of IBJJF victories.
Keenan Cornelius wins gold at the World
Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Now at the black belt level,
Cornelius continues to amaze with his “modern jiu-jitsu”. His guard techniques
are smooth and effective, creating fan frenzy amongst BJJ addicts. The latest
and most talked about technique employed by Cornelius is the “worm
guard”, which relies on using a lasso position and lapel grip. Cornelius has
successfully used this move against renowned black belts such as Marcus
Buchecha, Murilo Santana, Braulio Estima, and Leandro Lo.
The below video shows the
“worm guard” at work against Leandro Lo at the latest Mundials. Cornelius uses
the “worm guard” to successfully sweep Leandro Lo and earn two points.
This position is effective
against BJJ practitioners who like to pass the guard from the standing position
or combat base. The guard player is able to establish good grips and control
because they are holding the lapel not only with their hands, but with their
foot as well.
In this video, Cornelius
breaks down the details of his famous “worm guard”. As you can see, the guard
passer’s legs are effectively trapped, preventing them from passing.
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