The Baseball Bat Choke is a powerful gi submission that uses a cross-collar and sleeve grip to apply a scissoring choke, most commonly from side control or north-south. Its unique grip orientation allows for rapid application and surprise attacks, making it highly effective in both sport and self-defense contexts.
Start
Top or side control
End
Submission
Prerequisites: Cross-collar grip · Establishing side control · Transition to north-south · Grip breaking · Maintaining chest-to-chest pressure
Steps
1
Establish Side Control
From side control, keep your chest heavy on their upper torso and knees pinched near their hips for control.
2
Feed the Near-Side Collar
With your far-side hand (the one closest to their legs), reach under their neck and feed their far collar deep to your near-side hand, palm up and thumb inside, forming the first part of the choke.
3
Set the Baseball Bat Grip
With your far-side hand (now free), reach across and grip the same collar palm down, just below your other hand, as if gripping a baseball bat. Your hands should be close together, knuckles almost touching.
4
Rotate to North-South
Keeping your grips tight, walk your feet around their head, rotating your body towards north-south while maintaining chest pressure and keeping your elbows tight.
5
Drop Your Hips and Lower Your Head
Once perpendicular, drop your hips low to the mat and lower your head toward the far side of their body, making your torso perpendicular to theirs.
6
Apply the Choke
Drive your elbows apart in a scissoring motion while pulling your grips tight and rotating your wrists. Your arms should act like the blades of scissors, tightening the collar around their neck.
7
Finish and Hold Position
Maintain your weight low and hips heavy to prevent escapes, holding the position until you feel the tap or the opponent loses consciousness.
Key details most people miss
The palm-up/palm-down grip orientation is critical—reversing this makes the choke ineffective.
Your hands must be close together; too much space between grips weakens the choke and gives them time to defend.
Rotating your body to a true north-south angle maximizes the scissoring effect and prevents the opponent from stacking or rolling you.
Driving your head and hips low prevents the opponent from bridging into you or creating space to escape.
Common mistakes
If you leave too much space between your hands, the opponent can posture up or strip your grips before the choke tightens.
If you fail to rotate fully to north-south, the choke loses leverage and the opponent can roll you over.
If your elbows are not driven apart forcefully, the choke will not cut off the carotids and may only crank the neck.
If your hips are too high, the opponent can shrimp out or trap your leg for a reversal.
Counters & responses
They try: Opponent postures up and drives into you before you rotate
You do: Immediately drop your weight, sprawl your legs back, and finish the choke belly-down, using gravity to tighten the choke.
They try: Opponent grabs your sleeve or wrist to block the choke
You do: Circle your gripping hand to break their grip, then re-secure your baseball bat grip tightly and proceed.
They try: Opponent bridges and attempts to roll you over
You do: Keep your hips low and wide, and walk your feet further around their head to maintain base and finish the choke.
They try: Opponent tucks their chin and frames on your arms
You do: Drive your forearm deeper under their chin before rotating, or transition to an armbar if they overcommit to the frame.
Drill prescription
5 rounds × 3 minutes; partner gives 50% resistance, focusing on realistic frames and posture; goal is 5 clean tap finishes per round, alternating top/bottom each round.
How the masters teach it
Saulo Ribeiro
Emphasizes deep collar feed and hip drop, using the choke as a counter to defensive framing from side control.