FIRAS ZAHABI – POWERFUL GUARD RETENTION VOL.03

oach 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