Firas Zahabi – Powerful Guard Retention 3

Firas Zahabi – Powerful Guard Retention 3

Ready to turn the tables on heavy half guard pressure and make top players think twice about settling in?

Coach Firas Zahabi—black belt under the legendary John Danaher and mastermind behind UFC superstar Georges St-Pierre—proudly presents Powerful Guard Retention: Countering Half Guard Pressure – Volume 3, the latest installment in his groundbreaking series designed to revolutionize your bottom game.

In this volume, Coach Zahabi reveals how to neutralize and reverse one of the most common—and suffocating—situations in grappling: top half guard pressure. Instead of relying on frantic scrambles or raw strength, you’ll learn a systematic approach built on posture, frames, and precise counters that effortlessly dismantle your opponent’s pressure.

You’ll also discover the key drills and structural concepts that not only defend your guard but create openings for sweeps, back takes, and submissions—all while conserving energy. By mastering these principles, you’ll transform half guard defense into one of your strongest weapons, making it nearly impossible for opponents to advance or hold you down.

With decades of elite coaching experience and world-class strategies distilled into a simple, efficient system, Coach Zahabi gives you the tools to stay calm under pressure and build a half guard that works for you, not against you.

If you want to stop getting crushed in half guard and start turning pressure into opportunity, this is the volume you’ve been waiting for.

In this video you will learn

My experience dealing with GSP’s legendary top half Guard Pressure
The  3 Rules for Defending vs Half Guard Pressure
Rule #1
Rule #2
Rule #3
Frame & Knee Shield
Knee Shield Drill
The Shaolin Sweep
Tye Ruotolo’s Escape Approach
Tye Ruotolo’s Hip-Heist Escape
Stiff Arm Escape
Up & Over from Half-Guard
How to Combine the 3 Attacks
How to Get into Octopus
Understanding Octopus Positioning
How to keep your Octopus from Collapsing
How to avoid the Cross-Face
Octopus Hip-Bump Sweep
Octopus Back-Take
Octopus Back-Roll
Failed Roll to Back-Take
Octopus vs Negative Position
The Windmill
The Knee Lever
The Up & Over Combination
Understanding how to think in 3’s
Arm Triangle Counter
Attacking with the Scorpion
Countering the Head Pass