Overview
Irimi ashi garami is one of the most common and foundational leg-entanglement positions in modern no-gi jiu-jitsu. The name was popularized by John Danaher—“irimi” meaning “entry”—and the position is equivalent to the widely known single-leg X. Built around isolating one of the opponent’s legs while maintaining inside position, the entanglement creates strong off-balancing opportunities, control over the opponent’s base, and direct access to lower-body submissions.
Originally popularized in no-gi by Marcelo Garcia and later refined and systematized by the Danaher Death Squad, irimi ashi garami has become a staple of nearly every modern grappler’s game. From this position, athletes can generate sweeping reactions, enter deeper entanglements, or attack submissions immediately. It provides clean pathways into outside heel hooks, transitions into cross ashi garami, and serves as a primary entry hub for many of today’s leg-lock-heavy systems.