Cross Collar Choke

What it is

The cross collar choke is the original gi strangle: one hand goes deep into the collar palm up, the other crosses over it, then your elbows drop and your wrists turn into the sides of the neck. It is the classic finish from mount and from closed guard. The deep first grip is the choke, which is why that is the hand the bottom player must never let in.

When to use it

• From mount, when they leave their collar open and their hands drift away from their neck.
• From closed guard, when their posture is broken and their head is close to your chest.
• As a threat that makes them raise their hands and give up an armbar or a sweep.

How to do it

1. Put your first hand deep into the collar, palm up, four fingers inside, thumb outside, aiming for the back of the neck.
2. Cross your second hand over the first and grip the other side of the collar, palm down or palm up, as deep as you can.
3. Pull their head toward you, and from mount drop your head to the mat beside theirs.
4. Bring your elbows down to your sides so your wrists turn into the sides of their neck.
5. Expand your chest, pull your elbows back and keep the pressure until they tap.

Key details

• The first grip is the choke. Feed it deep, behind the neck, before the second hand.
• Elbows down and in. If the elbows flare, the pressure goes onto the jaw.
• Pull them into you, not you into them, so the grips get tighter as they move.
• From mount, drop your head low so they cannot bridge you off.
• Tap early when you are the one caught. A choke works in seconds, and holding on only puts you to sleep.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: a shallow first grip. The choke never bites and they strip it.
• Mistake: pulling with straight arms. The pressure sits on the chin and they wait it out.
• Mistake: sitting upright to finish from mount. They bridge and roll you.

What they will try

• Elbows tight and hands guarding the collar so the first hand cannot get deep.
• If the first hand is in, they cross their hand over to break the second grip before it closes.

Gi and no-gi

There is no collar in no-gi, so this choke does not exist there. The no-gi substitutes from the same positions are the arm triangle and the ezekiel done with the forearms.