Paper Cutter Choke

What it is

The paper cutter choke is a gi choke from side control: one hand holds a deep collar grip, and your other forearm comes across their throat and drops toward the mat like the blade of a paper cutter, hinged on the grip. It works because they are flat and your chest weight is already on them. It is a good answer when they frame with the near arm and leave the collar open.

When to use it

• From side control, when their collar is open and their near arm is framing on your hips.
• When they turn away from you and expose the far side of the neck.
• When you want a finish that does not need you to move off side control.

How to do it

1. From side control, open their collar and feed a deep grip on the far side of their neck, thumb inside.
2. Keep your chest heavy on them while you set the grip.
3. Bring your other forearm across their throat, hinged on the gripping hand.
4. Drop that forearm toward the mat like a paper cutter blade while the gripping hand pulls tight.
5. Keep your weight on them and squeeze until they tap.

Key details

• The grip must be deep, near the back of the neck. A shallow grip only rubs the collar.
• Your chest stays on them the whole time. Lift off and they turn in and escape.
• The blade drops toward the mat, not into the face. Keep it across the throat.
• On bottom, keep the near elbow in and your hands at your collar so the deep grip never lands.

Common mistakes

• Mistake: sitting up to set the grip. They turn into you and recover guard.
• Mistake: forcing the forearm across the jaw. It hurts but does not choke, and you give up the pin.
• Mistake: on the bottom, framing with straight arms and the collar open. The grip goes in deep while you push.

What they will try

• They grab their own collar to stop the deep grip.
• They turn in toward you and get the near elbow inside before the forearm drops.

Gi and no-gi

The paper cutter needs the collar, so it is gi only. From side control in no-gi the chokes are the arm triangle and the north-south choke.