When it comes to chokes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA, few are as stylish as the Peruvian Necktie. As the nickname suggests, this submission sounds like it’s from Scarface or something and with good reason. If sunk in deep enough, it can quickly choke people unconscious, which is often seen in UFC and MMA.
However, away from merely looking good, the Peruvian Necktie is also incredibly effective. Again, there’s a reason why it’s so common in MMA and BJJ. Because of this, if you’re training grappling then you need to know it. If for nothing else, improving your knowledge of this submission will hope both with defense and offense.
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Why is it called a Peruvian Necktie?
According to the history books, UFC fighter Tony DeSouza first used the submission whilst fighting in MMA. DeSouza was trained BJJ by the legendary John Lewis, so it’s no surprise that he knew his stuff. In MMA, DeSouza went 11-4, with most of his wins coming by submissions.
Anyway, until DeSouza used the move, it was still relatively unknown. The name of the submission is based on the heritage of DeSouza. As he is from Lima, Peru – the nickname quickly spread. For those wondering, a ‘necktie’ is often a term used to describe mafia executions, where victims would have their throats slit and tongues pulled out, which physically resembled a necktie. This name was fitting for such a slick move.
What is a Peruvian Necktie?
In short, a Peruvian Necktie is cross between a Darce and Guillotine choke. However, a key variation is that it involves placing the leg over the opponent’s head to add weight and make the choke tighter. As a result of its similarities with the Darce, it often stems from front headlock positions.
Due to this, you can expect to enter Peruvian Necktie’s from sprawls and against turtle. This is why the move is common in UFC, as fighters counter takedowns with a Necktie, whilst in BJJ, people use it to attack the turtle position.
Setting up the Peruvian Necktie
The Peruvian Necktie begins by wrapping your arm under the opponents armpit whilst they’re on the floor. This means it’s a submission from the top and can’t be done whilst playing guard. Imagine trying to thread your arms together to attack a Darce.
However, instead of connecting your hand to bicep, you instead make an S-grip with your other hand. So, your near arm goes under the armpit, with your other arm going over the their neck and the top of their head. If you don’t like the S-Grip, you can also use a Gable grip instead.
Submitting from the Peruvian Necktie
A problem with the Darce is that sometimes if the bottom player is strong and broad, they can posture up and make it difficult to connect your arm with your hand. This is where the Peruvian Necktie excels. If the opponent threatens to stand, you can also twist your hands inwards towards their neck. This will instantly break their posture and put their head to the floor.
At this point, they are in trouble, and you can begin thinking about finishing the submission. Like the Omoplata, you will need the opponent’s head as low to the floor as possible, otherwise they can posture and escape.
Finishing the Peruvian Necktie choke
To finish the choke, you’ll want to drop back to your bum so you’re sitting on the floor. Then, you’ll want to put your leg over the head of the opponent. This adds pressure to the choke and further destroys posture.
To finish, you can then lean back which will force your hands and arms into the carotid arteries. At this point, the choke will be incredibly difficult to escape and you should get the tap. Remember, don’t lean back too quickly, as it’s possible your hands could slip out and then you could completely lose the submission.
Can you do a Peruvian Necktie in the gi?
This is a good question, as most Peruvian Necktie chokes are seen in no gi. The general consensus is that it’s easy to attack front headlock chokes without the gi as the friction of the collar and sleeves can slow things down in the gi. At this point, people can escape easier.
To answer the original question, yes you can use the Peruvian Necktie in the gi. Like hitting Darce and Guillotine’s in the gi, it’s also possible but less common than in no gi.
However, there are also a number of nice variations that are also available in the gi. One example of this is by using your own lapel. Instead of grabbing your hands together, you can instead thread the lapel around the top of the opponent’s neck and hold it with your other hand. Then, you can fall back and pull the gi, again finishing the your leg on the back of the opponent’s neck.
This is probably a tighter choke compared to using your hands and comes on incredibly quickly. However, unlike the original; this choke can be a struggle to set up. Against experienced opponents, they may escape if you’re fiddling around, trying to intricately use your gi. There are also other gi variations, which tie in with Tornado chokes.
Is the Peruvian Necktie a neck crank?
When it comes to all front headlock chokes, they can often be used as cranks instead of chokes. For instance, a clean Guillotine could be 100% choke, however a less technical one could be 30% choke and 70% crank. Ultimately, the 30% choke would be enough to submit an opponent if held enough.
The Peruvian Necktie shares similar mechanics as it stems from the same front headlock family. Having said this, sometimes the Peruvian Necktie can easily slip into a crank. Obviously, most BJJ practitioners would prefer using chokes, but sometimes a crank will do. If the crank is truly painful then it can easily get submissions, even against elite opponents. To sum up, the Peruvian Necktie can easily turn into a crank. It is also one of the worst neck cranks to get caught in as well.
How do you escape a Peruvian Necktie?
Like all submissions, escaping a fully locked in Necktie is not easy, and the idea is to avoid it in the first place. This idea is quite unrealistic though, and against superior opponents, you will get caught from time to time.
Ultimately, the idea is to avoid the leg going over your head. At this point, it’s very difficult to break out and you will struggle. The point is to somehow unlock the opponents hands before they can really get a good connection with your neck. To do this, you’ll want to base on your head, and use both hands to attack the opponent’s one hand.
Remember, it’s illegal to grab fingers in BJJ. However, if you can possibly grab the opponent’s palm with your fingers, then you may be able to remove them and escape. You’ll want to try and immediately posture too, otherwise you may get put in trouble again. As obvious as it sounds, as long as the opponent can’t connect your hands, then you should be ok.
For more information on the Peruvian Necktie, it’s probably best to study the likes of Richie Martinez. This is because Richie Martinez is known for his Peruvian Necktie, and probably has one of the best in BJJ. Here, you can learn a lot, from his set ups to his submissions.
