The Cross Collar choke is one of the most common chokes to be taught in BJJ. It is specific to the Gi as it requires collar grips and is used to cut off blood from the carotid arteries. Typically done in mount or guard, the Cross Collar is one of the first moves taught to newcomers to the sport. This was Roger Gracie’s main form of attack who enjoyed great success from the mount position. Here he submitted countless competitors at black belt level and highlighted the power of the choke as a result.
Table of Contents
Setting up the Cross Collar Choke
The Cross Collar choke involves putting both palms into the opponents collar. Often this involves having both palms down, however there are variations. Some practitioners prefer to have one palm down and one up as it adds to less pressure on the wrist. When the grip is secured, the idea is then to lean into the opponent. This generates more tension to the choke especially from mount.
The reason for this is due to the gravity that leaning creates, which adds more pressure. Whilst in mount, it is best to base on your head above your opponent. This allows greater balance if the opponent tries a bridge escape. Even from bottom closed guard the attack is enhanced by leaning in as it gives the opponent less time to escape.
The next step is to then use the grips correctly. Generally, this is a mistake done by newer students who lose the submission as a result. Instead of pulling the elbows away from each other, the idea is to choke primarily with the hands. Here you should twist the hands inwards to tighten the choke and add pressure to the arteries. If you start pulling the elbows away it can actually ease the pressure from the choke and allow the opponent to escape.
Entries into the Cross Collar Choke
The Cross Collar often shares the same entries from the top or bottom. The idea is to get both hands into the opponent’s collar and then go from there. In mount for example, you may require grip fighting to begin the attack. This means being persistent in removing your opponent’s hands before you insert the first grip.
The same concept applies from bottom closed guard. However, it is generally harder to finish the choke from the bottom as the opponent can posture up easier and even defend by punching into your throat.
A key point for the bottom submission is to attack the choke from an angle. When coming off at an angle it allows you to hit the choke quicker and stop the punch defence as your body is hidden to the side a little.
Other setups can be done from the top or bottom of half guard. Again the same concept applies from the bottom. From the top, the Cross Collar can also be used as a threat to set up the pass. For instance, if the bottom player is focused on defending the choke, they may be easier to pass through the legs. As a result it is a good option to attack the choke from the top half guard. If the opponent does not defend properly then you can finish the choke.
The Cross Collar also combines nicely with the Gi Brabo choke. If you untuck the opponent’s Gi then you can use this as leverage as a tight grip. Putting the Gi behind the opponents head, you can then switch to the Cross Collar from the Brabo set up. Again this works well in bottom closed guard and top half guard. If the opponent defends one attack then you can always switch to the other.
How to defend the Cross Collar Choke
The Cross Collar choke can be defended by a few techniques. One technique is the punch defence which has been previously mentioned. This is exclusive to top positions as it involves posturing up. If the opponent begins the choke then the idea is to punch them in the throat. The idea is not to literally punch them as this would be a DQ in competition. Instead, you add force to the throat to fend off the attack.
From the bottom mount, the Cross Collar choke can be defended by a bridge and roll. However, this may not always work against good opponents. When the first grip is set up the idea is to trap the gripping arm with an overhook. The next step is to then do a strong bridge towards the trapped arm. As the attacker has no arm to base on that side you can reverse the position into a top closed guard.
Even if this fails, there’s a strong chance you don’t escape mount but get rid of the choking collar grip. The problem with this defense is an experienced player will know the counter. If they have a good body position in mount then they can post on their head to stop the bridge. Nonetheless, the escape can work and is better than nothing.
Defending the Cross Collar Choke
The Cross Collar choke is a fundamental move that is considered a basic attack. Having said this, there is a lot of intricacies involved and to master the choke is not easy. Overall it is a good option to have from the top and bottom positions. Not only this it is worth learning from a defensive and attack position.
More importantly, Roger Gracie has proved this is effective at the highest levels of BJJ. With this said, it’s more than just a ‘basic’ move. Sure, it may not be the flashiest but it is definitely one of the most effective techniques. From white to black belt, the Cross Collar choke will not let you down.
