The Rear Naked choke is possibly the most common and dominant submission in all of grappling. This submission is as old as time itself and is often used in Gi, Nogi and MMA – as well as street fights and self defence scenarios. It could also be argued that the Mata Leao or RNC is one of the more natural submissions to finish. Unlike the complexities of the Omoplata for instance, humans are naturally more likely to be able to finish a Rear Naked strangle due to thousands of years of evolution.
Because of this, the Rear Naked is almost ingrained into human DNA at this point which why it is so successful. The result is that the choke is widely feared and is the reason why taking someones back mostly results in finishing the fight or BJJ match. Below we shall go into further detail about why the RNC truly is the most dominant submission in BJJ history.
Table of Contents
Entries to the back
Of course, it’s nice to sink in a RNC, but getting there is the first priority and is arguably the biggest challenge. To get to the back, there are various paths. The most common route is usually from the top Turtle position. If your opponent has a loose Turtle then you can kick your feet into their hips to create hooks. From there, you can use your arms as a seatbelt around their neck or get double underhooks with your arms around their shoulders.
This means you will act as a backpack on the opponent. At this point, you can either roll onto the side or sink your hips down to force them into the ground. This particular move puts great pressure on the opponent’s body and is very uncomfortable. If the opponent’s Turtle is not loose to the begin with, you can aggressively force them forwards to open the body up.
Other back takes from the top position include mount and side control. You will often see people fail to bridge properly in MMA and give their back in the process. Alternatively, if you can grab a gift wrap grip then you can force the back take yourself with elbow control. Similarly, side control offers a similar back take method. If the opponent turns on their side to relieve shoulder pressure then you can get a gift wrap grip and again fall to the back.
From the bottom position, you can also get to the back which often involves arm-drags. This is when you grab the wrist and elbow of the opponent with a two-on-one grip and move to the side of the opponent’s arm. With the elbow covered, you can then put your hand in their far lat and climb to the back.
This requires a level of speed and technique but can be hit from various guards such as closed, half, butterfly and other positions. Because of this, if you intend on taking the back from the bottom position, you may want to look into the arm drag. Of course, there are other back take methods like getting an underhook, but the arm drag has been used for years and is very powerful.
Looking at control whilst on the back
The Rear Naked choke is attacked from the back. Whilst taking the back, it is optimal to firstly secure the position. To do this you must keep feet hooks around the opponent’s hips. This stops the opponent from escaping their lower body which makes it harder for them to escape the upper body. Alternatively, a body Triangle can also be used to tightly constrict the opponent and keep a connection.
Regarding the upper body, you should then hold the seatbelt position. This is where the non-choking arm grabs under the opponent’s armpit and connects with the top, choking arm. With this and hooks or a body Triangle locked, the opponent is controlled and ready to attack.
It is also wise to keep your head glued to the side of your opponents head. If they fall to a side, make sure your head is stuck underneath their head. This is because if they get their head to the floor, it becomes incredibly difficult to choke them and you may have to reset the position and re-establish control.
Finishing the choke
To start the choke, you must win the grip fighting battle. This is done by grabbing the opponent’s wrists and trying to get the neck and throat isolated. For instance, from the seatbelt, you can grab the opponent’s near wrist. As a result, it creates a 1 vs 1 wrist battle with your free hand and the opponent’s free hand. If quick enough, you may be able to sneak the arm under the chin. From there you can grip the bicep of your other arm which is behind their head. After this, you can squeeze to get the finish.
The problem with this method is that it relies on speed rather than technique. There is nothing wrong with this if it is done fast enough. An example of this could be during a scramble. Whilst the position is being established there’s a chance your opponent is slowly adjusting to the new position. Whilst in this transition you may be able to slip the choke on.
Remember, if the opponent defends by tucking their chin then this is not a proper defense. The choke can still be applied by using the same grip over the chin. Whilst this may act as a jaw crank, it will also turn into a choke. This is because the chin is effectively pushed into the throat, cutting off the air as a result.
Perhaps a more advanced way to finish the Rear Naked is by trapping the opponent’s arm with a leg. To achieve this you must climb higher up the opponent’s body whilst on the back. At this point, you can pin a wrist down near the opponent’s hip. The next step is to use the heel of your foot to scoop out the hand and trap the arm behind the leg. This effectively replaces a hook with an arm trap.
The result of this is that you know have two arms against one which give a clear advantage. You can then pin their arm with yours whilst still having a free hand. With no arms left to defend the opponent is now open to attack and their neck is freely available. With this in mind, it is suggested to learn the arm trapping method with your legs as it can completely dominate your opponent as a result.
How to defend the Rear Naked Choke
To defend the choke there are several options. With someone on your back, you must be cautious at all times due to the severity of the situation. The first thing is to protect your neck by hand fighting. This will buy time and make sure your opponent cannot just choke you instantly. The second step is to remove the opponent’s hooks.
To do this you must use a hand to carefully place a hook onto the floor. Remember to protect your neck whilst doing this. Then you can place your lower body onto the floor where the hook previously was. At this point, you have successfully defended the lower part of the body which is key to starting the escape.
After this, you can then start focusing on the upper body. To do this you can start trying to remove the seatbelt. A two vs one grip is fine here with your lower body free. When the arm is removed you can then put your head on the mat. At this point, you have successfully defended the Rear Naked Choke.
The next step is to avoid being mounted. Even if you do get mounted, it isn’t the worst situation compared to having your back taken. One option from here is trying to recover a half guard by immediately getting a leg entanglement. Alternatively, you could choose to Turtle to frustrate the opponent.
The main difference between defending a Rear Naked in Nogi and the Gi is remembering the Bow and Arrow choke. In Nogi this is not possible due to the absence of collars. Because of this, there is no worry whilst escaping the position. However, in the Gi whilst you turn away from the opponent, it is possible they get a collar grip and start using a Gi choke. So make note that it is always risky whilst trying to escape the back, even more so whilst wearing a Gi.
Alternative options from the back
Whilst this is primarily an article about the RNC, there are other options to consider when on the back. Most noticeably, these include armbars, back triangles, bow and arrow chokes (in the gi) and the short choke. The thing about most of these attacks is they typically lack control compared to the Rear Naked. For instance, if transitioning to an armbar you can potentially lose the back position and end up on the bottom. However, if holding an RNC you will often keep the back. Even as a deterrent it can keep people from escaping, such is the fear surrounding the submission.
A different alternative is going for a pure crank whilst using the RNC grip. This can also be used to stop people from escaping and re-establish control. As mentioned, this can slip into a crank with the correct technique.
Nonetheless, if you apply it with a twist on the neck it can be incredibly painful and break the jaw. Due to this, the Rear Naked Crank is a submission in its own right. Just realize that this move may be a little taboo and whilst it’s fine to apply in competitions and fights, it may create enemies in a gym setting. Having said this, if the opponent cannot escape and is forced to tap then it equally proves that it is effective.
Summary
The Rear Naked choke is arguably the best submission to learn in all of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Whilst on the back, it doesn’t matter if the opponent is more athletic or stronger than you. The Rear Naked is a great equalizer because of this and combined with solid back control can cause the opponent a number of problems. Because they can only defend using two limbs whilst you can use all four, it makes for a powerful attack that can end a fight in seconds.
Further, in some cases – some people will power through arm breaks with adrenaline pumping through their body. This doesn’t matter with chokes as it doesn’t account for toughness. Not only this but unlike other chokes such as the triangle, the RNC can be used without reply. Due to the superior position of the choke, it can not be struck without retaliation. Regarding this, the RNC is something that all BJJ practitioners should learn. It doesn’t matter about size, age or style, it is simply too powerful to overlook.
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