Cross Collar Choke from Closed Guard

Cross Collar Choke from Closed Guard is a finishing attack built around a handful of repeatable controls. Closed guard with broken posture; attacker has a deep first cross-collar grip behind the neck. Another common starting shape: bottom player has the opponent's posture broken in closed guard and has secured a deep four-fingers-in collar grip on one side. The ideas that hold it together are grip depth, elbow pinch, and wrist rotation.

The cross collar choke chain is a sequence of small controls, not one athletic burst. Set the first grip four-fingers-in, deep behind the neck. Feed the second hand under the first to grab the opposite collar. Pull the elbows wide and bring the wrists toward the chin to finish. Get the first grip deep behind the neck with four fingers inside the collar. Feed the second hand under the first to reach the opposite collar at similar depth. Pinch elbows down and rotate wrists like revving a motorcycle to apply the strangle. When the under-path is blocked, send the second hand over the top of the first. Keep the elbows tucked to maintain the choking line. Opponent taps from the strangle as both forearms cut into the carotids.

Later in the cross collar choke, deep first grip and elbows down and out tend to decide whether the position stays on track. Watch for these mistakes: Setting the first grip shallow so the second grip cannot pass. Shallow first grip that does not reach the carotid line. Flaring elbows out, which removes pressure from both arteries. Setting the second grip too shallow on the lapel. The high-percentage version of cross collar choke from closed guard is the one you can still chain when the first squeeze is defended.