Key Takeaways
- A 6-volume system covering escapes, submissions, wrestling, judo, guard, and passing from one of the most creative minds in BJJ
- Josh Saunders went from white belt to black belt in under 4 years — one of the fastest progressions in modern BJJ
- Unorthodox approach that blends wrestling, judo, and BJJ into an interconnected fight system
- Includes creative techniques like the Tamagotchi, Choi Bar, MisDirectional Go Behind, and Reverse Darce sequences
- Best suited for intermediate grapplers who want to break out of conventional BJJ patterns
- Rating: 8.5/10
DOWNLOAD THE WRONG WAY FIRST JOSH SAUNDERS DVD
Most BJJ instructionals follow a predictable formula — establish the position, teach the technique, show a counter or two. The Wrong Way First Josh Saunders DVD is not that kind of instructional. Saunders — who went from white belt to black belt in under four years, one of the fastest progressesions in the sport’s history — has built a system that deliberately breaks conventional patterns.
The name “Wrong Way First” reflects the philosophy: before you can find the right path, you need to understand the detours, the misdirections, and the counter-intuitive movements that make Jiu-Jitsu work against trained resistance.
Principles, Not Systems
The modern BJJ landscape is dominated by systems — Danaher’s leg locks, Buchecha’s pressure passing, Faria’s half guard. These are well-established frameworks that work reliably. But there’s a risk in following systems too rigidly: opponents learn to recognize the patterns, and your game becomes predictable.
Saunders’ approach is different. He builds from the principle that effective Jiu-Jitsu requires the ability to escape, attack, and transition from positions that most systems treat as dead ends. His wrestling and judo volumes integrate standup grappling in a way that most BJJ-specific instructionals skip entirely, recognizing that a complete grappler needs to be dangerous from every phase of the fight. The result is a system that doesn’t replace your existing game so much as layer unpredictability on top of it.
Grappling Phenom Josh Saunders
Josh Saunders is one of the most unusual success stories in modern BJJ. He achieved his black belt in under four years — an accelerated timeline that most practitioners consider almost impossible — through a combination of intense training, existing grappling experience, and a uniquely analytical approach to technique.
Saunders’ game is heavily influenced by wrestling, judo, and no-gi grappling, and he has built a reputation as one of the most creative and unpredictable competitors on the circuit. His willingness to question conventional BJJ wisdom and experiment with unorthodox solutions has made him a cult figure among grapplers looking for alternatives to the traditional IBJJF-focused approach.
This Josh Saunders instructional represents the culmination of his philosophy: a complete system for grapplers who want to think differently about Jiu-Jitsu.
Detailed Wrong Way First Josh Saunders DVD Review
For any grappler who feels stuck in a rut or wants to add unpredictability to their game, this instructional provides exactly that. Across six volumes, the Wrong Way First Josh Saunders DVD covers escapes, submissions, wrestling, judo, guard, and passing from angles most practitioners have never considered.
Volume 1: Escapes
Volume 1 reframes the escape game entirely. Saunders teaches the distinction between kipping and bridging — two different escape mechanics with different applications — and shows when to use each. The Marcelo vs. Knee Elbow section compares two of the most common mount escape approaches and explains why one might work where the other fails. The John Wayne Into Lower Leg Shift is a creative sequence for escaping side control, and the Chest Lock provides a submission option that flows directly from the escape position — turning defense into offense without resetting.
Volume 2: Submissions and Attacks
Part 2 is where Saunders’ creativity shines brightest. The Turtle Attack Into Tamagotchi is a signature sequence that would never appear in a conventional instructional. Front headlock chokes chained together provide a reliable front headlock attack system. The MisDirectional Go Behind is exactly what it sounds like — a sequence that uses deceptive movement to create back takes. A Kata Gatame Iseries shows how to chain one head-and-arm attack into another when the opponent defends the first.
Volume 3: Wrestling
The third volume brings wrestling concepts into the BJJ framework. Saunders covers ducks, the Russian Ties, the Sidakov Underhook and slide-bys, followed by a selection of sneaky ankle picks. These are wrestling fundamentals adapted for gi and no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, recognizing that most BJJ players lack the standup skills to control where the fight goes.
Volume 4: Judo
In this part, Saunders introduces Judo combos: Uchi Mata vs. Ouchi-Kouchi, Uchi Mata vs. Harai Goshi, and Step Behind vs. Uki Goshi and O Goshi. Josh presents these not as isolated throws but as paired options — if the opponent defends one, the second is already available.
Volume 5: Guard
Volume 5 covers Saunders’ guard principles, starting with the knee lever and heading to inversions. The R-Guard sequence shows how to progress through guard variations as the opponent postures and pressures.
Collar Ties are taught in both directions, followed by Choi Bar finishes and a leg submission chain from guard. The Shin Guard Into Opposite Leg Back Sweep to Reap sequence shows how to sweep and immediately attack the legs from the same entry.
Volume 6: Passing
The final volume covers passing like Saunders. The DLR Knee Cut to Smash deals with the most common open guard BJJ players face. Toreando, Split Squat, Knee Cut, and Butterfly Half pass round out a versatile passing toolkit that works against standing, seated, and half guard opponents.
Start With What You Know
The 6-volume format covers a lot of ground, but the structure is modular. The recommended approach is to identify the weakest area of your game and start there.
Most intermediate grapplers will find the most immediate value in Volume 1 (Escapes) or Volume 3 (Wrestling), as those are the areas where conventional BJJ instructionals are weakest. The later volumes build on concepts introduced earlier, so a sequential approach from Volume 1 through Volume 6 is ideal for a complete system study. Expect 8-12 weeks to integrate the core material.
WRONG WAY FIRST JOSH SAUNDERS DVD GET IT HERE
Who Is This For?
This instructional is best suited for intermediate grapplers — blue belt and above — who have a solid foundation in conventional BJJ and are looking for fresh approaches to positions they already understand.
The creative techniques in Volume 2 (Submissions and Attacks) and Volume 5 (Guard) will be most valuable to purple belts and above who are building an advanced game. White belts may find the unorthodox approach confusing without the conventional framework that most instructionals provide. No-Gi grapplers will benefit slightly more than Gi players, as many of Saunders’ sequences are grip-independent.
Pros & Potential Drawbacks
Pros:
- Genuinely creative techniques that most instructionals never show — the Tamagotchi, Choi Bar, and MisDirectional Go Behind are unique additions
- Integration of wrestling and judo into the BJJ framework addresses a gap that most instructionals leave open
- Escapes volume (Volume 1) is a standout section that reframes how most grapplers approach bottom position
- Compact chapter format within each volume makes it easy to study one concept per session
- The “wrong way first” philosophy is a genuinely useful mental model for developing unpredictable Jiu-Jitsu
Potential Drawbacks:
- The unorthodox approach may be too unconventional for practitioners who prefer systematic, position-by-position Jiu-Jitsu
- Sato’s background may be unfamiliar to some buyers — he’s not a household name like Danaher or Gordon Ryan
- Some techniques may not translate as well to competition under IBJJF rules
Try The Wrong Way
The Wrong Way First Josh Saunders DVD is a genuinely different kind of instructional. The 6-volume structure covers escapes, submissions, wrestling, judo, guard, and passing from angles that most conventional systems miss entirely. The name is a philosophy — sometimes the path to better Jiu-Jitsu runs through unexpected territory.
