Who Even Was De La Riva?

The Story Behind the DLR Guard and Its Legacy in No-Gi and 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu

If you’ve trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you’ve definitely heard of the De La Riva guard, often shortened to DLR guard. But who was De La Riva, and how did this unique open guard go from an experimental tool in Brazil to a core piece of no-gi Jiu Jitsu and the 10th Planet system? Let’s dig into the history and evolution of this essential position.

Who Was Ricardo De La Riva?

Ricardo De La Riva is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Carlson Gracie and is known worldwide as the creator of the De La Riva guard. Training in the 1980s at Carlson’s academy in Rio de Janeiro meant dealing with big, pressure-heavy passers. De La Riva, being smaller and more flexible, developed a creative solution that involved hooking the opponent’s leg from the outside to off-balance them.

Originally called the “Pudding Guard” because of how it made passers wobble, this technique caught fire when De La Riva used it to defeat Royler Gracie at the 1985 Copa Cantão. That victory turned him into a legend and gave birth to the guard that now carries his name.

Why the De La Riva Guard Became a Staple in Gi Jiu Jitsu

The De La Riva guard grew popular in gi Jiu Jitsu throughout the 1990s and 2000s. It allowed smaller athletes to neutralize stronger opponents by using pant and sleeve grips to manipulate their base.

One of the biggest turning points for the DLR guard was the rise of the berimbolo, a transition from DLR to the back that was popularized by top competitors like Rafa Mendes and the Miyao brothers. The DLR guard transformed from a simple off-balancing tool into a complete open guard system that included sweeps, back takes, and transitions into other guards like X-guard and single-leg X.

The grips in gi Jiu Jitsu make the De La Riva guard easier to control. You can slow down aggressive passers and create opportunities to attack without rushing.

How the De La Riva Guard Evolved for No-Gi Jiu Jitsu

When you remove the gi, you lose all those handy grips. But the core idea of the De La Riva guard — using an outside hook to disrupt balance — still works. In no-gi, players shift from gripping sleeves and pants to controlling the opponent’s heel or shin. Hooks and constant off-balancing become the main tools instead of fabric grips.

A major star in no-gi is the reverse De La Riva (RDLR), where you hook from the inside of the opponent’s leg. The RDLR guard is perfect for stopping knee cuts, setting up back takes like the Kiss of the Dragon spin, and entering leg entanglements. Many no-gi athletes chain RDLR hooks into single-leg X guard or use them to attack leg locks directly.

While classic sweeps like the tripod sweep are tougher without grips (especially when your opponent is sweaty), the overall adaptability of the DLR guard makes it a mainstay even in no-gi competitions like ADCC.

The Role of the De La Riva Guard in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu

When you think of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, you might think of rubber guard, lockdown half guard, and twister attacks. But 10th Planet has embraced open guard concepts too, including the De La Riva guard and its reverse variation. Inside 10th Planet, these positions are often called spiral guard or spiral clinch.

Eddie Bravo designed his warmup series to drill these movements systematically. The H-series warmups, for example, include sequences like spiral clinch to Kiss of the Dragon spin to crab ride and back takes. These movements come straight from traditional open guard play but are adapted for no-gi.

Beyond the warmups, Mastering The System (MTS) episodes go even deeper. In MTS episode 147, the focus is on reverse De La Riva setups, using the hook to sweep and chase the back. The same core guard mechanics appear, just tweaked for no-gi and without any reliance on fabric grips.

Top 10th Planet athletes like Geo “Freakazoid” Martinez show how these guards translate perfectly into no-gi. You’ll see him invert, hook legs, and spin under to take the back, all using DLR and RDLR concepts. Athletes like PJ Barch and Elijah Carlton also blend these hooks into guard retention, leg lock setups, and truck transitions.

From Hooks to Leg Locks: The 10th Planet Twist

One thing that sets 10th Planet apart is how they blend open guard hooks with leg attacks and truck entries. From reverse De La Riva, a player might scoop the far leg to enter the saddle (also known as inside ashi garami), leading straight into heel hook opportunities.

You’ll also see spiral guard entries transition into the truck rather than traditional back control, opening doors for twisters and calf slicers.

This highlights 10th Planet’s philosophy: take a traditional guard concept, remove the need for gi grips, and merge it with their favorite finishing positions.

Traditional DLR Guard vs. 10th Planet Open Guard

Traditional gi-based DLR guard emphasizes gripping and controlling tempo to set up patient attacks. On the other side, 10th Planet’s no-gi approach focuses on clinch control, hooking, and non-stop movement. Instead of pausing and holding, 10th Planet players constantly chain from one position to another, looking for the next opening.

Top competitors outside 10th Planet, like Gianni Grippo, have shown high-level transitions from inverted DLR to X-guard in gi competition. This shows how widely these concepts have spread and evolved. Meanwhile, 10th Planet athletes continue to study and adapt any technique that helps improve their guard game, whether it comes from gi or no-gi.

Key Takeaway

Ricardo De La Riva’s guard started as a clever survival tactic against larger, stronger training partners. Today, it’s a universal system in Jiu Jitsu that connects athletes across both gi and no-gi. Inside 10th Planet, the guard has been reinvented and worked into their no-gi flow, proving that smart, hook-based control can succeed in any context.

Citations and References

BJJ Heroes"Ricardo De La Riva." BJJ Heroes. Accessed 2025.https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/ricardo-de-la-riva

Evolve MMA"The De La Riva Guard Explained: How It Changed Modern Jiu-Jitsu." Evolve MMA. Accessed 2025.https://evolve-mma.com/blog/the-de-la-riva-guard-explained-how-it-changed-modern-jiu-jitsu

Grapplearts"Reverse De La Riva Guard: How to Use It and Why You Need It." Grapplearts. Accessed 2025.https://www.grapplearts.com/reverse-de-la-riva-guard

BJJ Fanatics"How to Use the De La Riva Guard in No-Gi." BJJ Fanatics. Accessed 2025.https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/news/de-la-riva-guard-in-no-gi

10th Planet Jiu JitsuMastering The System (MTS) Episode Guide. 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Official Website. Accessed 2025.https://www.10thplanetjj.com/techniques

10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Denver"Fundamentals Curriculum." 10th Planet Denver PDF Guide. Accessed 2025.

BJJ Eastern Europe"History of the De La Riva Guard." BJJ Eastern Europe. Accessed 2025.https://www.bjjee.com/articles/history-of-the-de-la-riva-guard

YouTube: Gianni Grippo ChannelVarious videos showing De La Riva to inverted and X-guard transitions in gi. Accessed 2025.https://www.youtube.com/@giannigrippo

BJJ Globetrotters"Understanding De La Riva Guard Concepts for Travelers." BJJ Globetrotters Blog. Accessed 2025.https://www.bjjglobetrotters.com/de-la-riva-guard

Instructor Seminars and InterviewsSeminar footage and interviews with Ricardo De La Riva, Rafa Mendes, and Eddie Bravo discussing guard evolution. Accessed 2025.