Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: A Few Techniques To Look For in an MMA Fight

I figured since I train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and have started writing MMA articles that I would throw in the occasional article on various BJJ techniques.  I will describe the concept of the technique, how to execute the technique, and how it applies to Mixed Martial Arts.  Hopefully these types of articles will serve to help those who don't have a complete understanding of the ground game to understand the ground game.  Watching an MMA fight is much more exciting when you know what to look for and are able to appreciate the transitions and understand what each fighter is trying to do.  So for those who love watching the fights, but don't completely understand what the fighters are attempting on the ground, hopefully these articles will help you out just a little bit.

My club is heading down to Detroit this weekend to participate in a NAGA grappling tournament, so our last class focused solely on submission defense.  I'll run through two different defenses of one very common submission - The Guillotine Choke.

The Guillotine Choke - From The Guard

This submission happens all too often in MMA.  One fighter shoots in for the takedown, makes the mistake of leaving his head exposed, and winds up in his opponent's guard stuck in a guillotine choke.

The easiest way to sink in a guillotine choke is by not having any of your opponent's arms inside the lock.  Meaning your arms are squeezing only his neck and not his neck AND his arm.  This is the worst case scenario.  If you get stuck in this position, you are in serious trouble!  So let's take a look at how to defend against this choke.

In this example we'll say that your opponent has his right arm around your head to apply the choke, has locked his hands together and has you in his guard.  You are in big trouble, but first - remember to relax. Don't panic!

First - basic defense is a must.  ALWAYS defend the choke.  Meaning your first order of business is to use your left hand to grab his right wrist that's against your throat.  Pull his wrist so that he can't squeeze your neck as freely. 

Next, posture!! Posturing is very important in jiu jitsu.  When you posture, you align all of your back and neck muscles, making them one giant muscle.  A muscle that size produces a lot more strength than a bicep.  Get what I'm saying?

So posturing means to straighten your back and neck and look up.  So once you've grabbed his right wrist with your left hand, plant your forehead on the mat, straighten your back, and look up.  As you posture, PUSH your head THROUGH - yes, push through, not PULL OUT (This is the only situation where I'd advise someone not to pull out!).  You can try to pull your head out of the hold and you might free yourself, but if he's holding on as tightly as I think he is, then you won't be able to get your head out.  So posture and push your head through.

Now, put your right arm over his left shoulder and sneak it under his head.

Next, stand up and stack your opponent.  Get up on your tippy toes and put all of your weight on him.  With your right arm under his head, you can now jam your right shoulder into his neck.  This is starting to really suck for your opponent!

With all your weight on him, your shoulder in his neck, and your left hand still gripping his right wrist, push your head even further through the choke and look up and posture as much as you possibly can.  This motion is forming a Kimura-like lock on his right arm.

Most likely you can either generate a tap or force your opponent to release the choke.  But if he doesn't release the choke, you can simply pull down on his right wrist and pull your head out - Yes, NOW you can pull your head out.  You have created plenty of room to pull your head out of the choke by twisting his shoulder and pressuring his neck.

Remember to keep controlling his right wrist with your left hand once you've freed yourself from the choke.  Controlling that wrist will make it much easier for you to land some big strikes from the top once your head is free!

The Guillotine Choke - From Standing

Wrestlers love this!  When grappling with wrestlers, if they don't shoot for a takedown, then their weapon of choice becomes the guillotine choke from the standing position.  They love neck cranks, headlocks, and all that good stuff!

Check out Forrest vs. Rampage in Round 2 to see a guillotine choke from standing.  Forrest didn't submit him with it, but was doing everything right, including twisting to tighten the choke, but then used it as a takedown as Rampage tried to roll away from the choke.  Forrest holds it for awhile to allow him to throw some knees - A very clear indication he's been training with Wanderlei!

So again in this example we'll say your opponent is using his right arm to apply the choke and you don't have any arms inside the hold.  Again, you are in some deep trouble!  But relax, this isn't your first barbeque!

Remember basic defense! Grab his right wrist with your left hand and pull down as much as you can to stop any further squeezing.

Drape your right arm over his left shoulder.

Now posture!! Posturing from standing is a little more difficult than from guard because your opponent (if he's applying the choke properly) is putting his weight on the back of your head/shoulders.  To overcome this, suck in your hips; this gives you a lot of leverage to straighten your back.  So straighten your back and look up to the sky.  This should get your opponent a little off balance.  Push your head through again. 

Now step to your right and end up on the left side of your opponent.

From here, simply buckle the back of his left knee with your right knee. (Kinda like you used to do to girls in school, then they'd laugh and slap you and say "stop it" and by the end of the day you were making out...k, I'm off topic...) At the same time that you take out his left knee, push your opponent backwards.  BOOM! You got yourself a takedown and have ended up in side control to boot!

Your opponent might still hold on to the choke, thinking he's still got you.  But he'd be wrong.  From here, you want to lock his arm around your head so he can't release the "choke" he thinks he has.  So trap his right wrist in your left armpit as you bring your left hand from his wrist to beneath his head.  Your right hand should be beneath him because you draped your right arm around his left shoulder while you were standing.  Simply bring your right arm beneath his head and lock both your hands together.

Now stand up! Get up on your tippy toes, put all of your weight on him and jam your right shoulder into his left carotid artery.  Keep posturing and now press against his right shoulder with your head.  Doing this will cause his right shoulder to press against his right carotid artery.  Now you are applying a choke of your own.  This will generate a tap.

So there you have it.  A few defenses of the guillotine choke.  Look for these the next time you see a fighter going for the guillotine!

Let me know if you'd like more of these types of articles or if I'm just blabbing for nothing.