There are lots of grapplers and MMA fighters who dislike guard pullers. They often don’t speak up for fear of offending guard pullers. However, in private conversations or under the cloak of anonymity on internet forums, the disdain of what seems to be a large portion of grapplers and fighters is only too apparent.

It’s understandable that people don’t express their dislike for guard pullers so publicly. After all, the guard puller in question may be a better fighter or grappler than the person who dislikes the guard pulling.

The guard-puller may say “If guard pulling is so unmanly or gay, then why can I beat you up?”

This does not however in any way diminish anti-guard-pullers’ dislike for guard-pullers. If anything, it just makes them dislike guard-pullers more.

Anti-guard-pullers however could respond. “Just because you can beat me up or out-grapple me, that doesn’t make guard pulling correct or desirable.”

Of course, all BJJ grapplers every once in a while pull guard, but those who anti-guard pullers abhor  are the grapplers who often flop on to their backs or butts without any prompting or at the slighest threat or shove.

But why does guard-pulling get so much hate?

Pulling Guard is Boring to Watch

For an anti-guard-pulling advocate, having one competitor flopping down at the slightest shove is boring to watch compared to two competitors battling it out for the take down.

One anti-guard-pulling advocated even commented “No stadium ever gave a standing ovation to a fighter for pulling guard.”

Meanwhile, takedown battles are exciting and fast-paced, compared to the slower, more deliberate fighting that happens in a closed guard.

Pulling Guard is Unmanly

In more traditional grappling disciplines, like Judo or Wrestling flopping on your back is severely frowned upon and penalized. In fact, in a large number of traditional wrestling arts, your back merely touching the ground makes you lose the game, like in Mongolian Wrestling or Sumo.

Wrestling, which is a sport that aims to get your opponent down on the ground, is a male-dominate sport and endeavor. Those who don’t wrestle are “unmanly.”

It seems more proper to “fight it out like a man” and try to go for a take down. That’s why those anti-guard-pullers see guard pulling as also “unnatural.”

Combat sports are a contest of dominance. In the animal kingdom, and in most of the history of humankind, the person on top is usually the person who wins the fight. That was before the development of BJJ, of course.

Pulling Guard is Gay

What has cause some people to consider pulling guard “gay?”

Some observers liken guard pullers flopping down to the ground to women on their backs spreading their legs inviting intercourse.

They may even derisively comment that guard pullers are subconsciously sexually aroused by grappling, this they induce close contact grappling.

This is what does on in the heads of anti-guard-pullers: Dominance is associated with being on top. Therefore those who do not battle for the top are “gay.”

Pulling Guard is Cowardly

There are also those who think pulling guard is cowardly. Why?

By pulling guard it is like saying “I’m not going to even exert energy trying to battle you for a take down”

Because they are avoiding the battle for the takedown, they are labelled “cowards.” Cowardice is the avoidance of battle. So in the minds of guard-puller-haters, guard pulling is “cowardly.”

Pulling guard is ridiculous for self-defense

From a self-defense perspective, pulling guard is ridiculous. For many self-defense schools, the objective of self-defense is to neutralize your opponent so you can call for help or get away as fast as you can.

Instead guard-pulling keeps you vulnerable for attack on the ground and encourages  engaging the aggressor longer.

Of course, people learning self-defense must learn the guard, as it is essential knowledge that can save a life. Despite this, many anti-guard pulling advocates think that guard pulling makes the martial arts, or combat aspect, away from grappling.

Pulling Guards Leads to Worse Sins

There are others who think pulling guard leads to “worse sins.” There is a move in grappling circles called “butt scooting.” This where a grappler, usually one who tries to induce grappling by flopping down on his back or butt, propels himself forward to engage his opponent while still sitting on the ground.

The double guard flop is perhaps what some anti-guard pulling advocates see as the saddest thing in grappling. This is where two grapplers jump or pull guard simultaneously. This results in two competitors with their legs spread facing each other.

But why do grapplers pull guard?

If grapplers and fighter who always pull guard have such a bad rap, why do grapplers continue to do it, even at high levels of competition?

There are advantages to guard pulling guard. What are they?

Better opportunity for submissions

When you’re the guy on top, your legs and your arms are on the ground, supporting your body to keeping it stable. Meanwhile, the grappler in the bottom will have all four limbs to maneuver and catch you in submissions.

When there are no strikes, such a grappling competition, this advantage does not have the advantage of the opponent being able to rain strikes down to punish the guard-puller. (That’s why guard pulling is much more popular in BJJ compared to MMA.

Saves a tremendous amount of energy

Takedowns can take a tremendous amount of energy. Especially if you know your opponent is better than you standing up, it is not worth using the energy. From a tactical perspective, it can make more tactical sense to just induce ground grappling.

Closing Thoughts

The debate on whether guard pulling is desirable or not in the sport of grappling may never really be solved. Each person has their own goals in learning grappling and fighting.

While it is hated by many, it is still practiced by many for its tactical advantages in grappling.