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Rear Naked Choke

SubmissionNo-gi back chokeBelt: white+Risk: lowIBJJFADCCNo-GiSub-OnlyMMA

The rear naked choke (RNC) is a high-percentage submission executed from back control, using your arms to compress the opponent’s neck. It is fundamental in both gi and no-gi, and is one of the most reliable finishes in all rulesets due to its control and finishing mechanics.

Start
Back control with hooks
End
Submission
Prerequisites: Maintaining seatbelt control · Breaking opponent's defensive grips · Establishing double hooks · Hand fighting from back control

Steps

  1. 1
    Establish Seatbelt Grip
    From back control with both hooks in, secure a seatbelt grip: one arm over the opponent’s shoulder (choking arm), the other under their armpit, hands connected palm-to-palm or with a fist covered by the opposite hand.
  2. 2
    Hide the Choking Hand
    Slide your choking arm’s hand under the opponent’s chin, palm facing you, and immediately hide it behind their head or your own head to prevent defensive hand fighting.
  3. 3
    Connect the Rear Naked Choke Grip
    Release the seatbelt with your support hand and slide it behind the opponent’s head, placing the palm on your own biceps of the choking arm; the choking hand’s palm rests on their shoulder or your own cheek.
  4. 4
    Squeeze the Elbow Line
    Align your choking arm’s elbow directly under the opponent’s chin, with your forearm and biceps forming a tight circle around the neck. Keep your wrist straight and avoid flaring the elbow.
  5. 5
    Lock the Choke
    Pinch your elbows together, retract your shoulders, and squeeze your arms while simultaneously expanding your chest and pulling their head slightly forward with your support hand.
  6. 6
    Maintain Hook Control
    Keep your hooks (feet) tight on the inside of their thighs or use a body triangle if possible, driving your hips forward to prevent escapes and increase pressure.
  7. 7
    Finish with Progressive Squeeze
    Apply gradual pressure with your arms and chest, keeping your head tight next to theirs to prevent head movement, until you achieve the submission.

Key details most people miss

  • The choking arm’s elbow must be directly under the opponent’s chin for maximal pressure and to avoid cranking the jaw.
  • Hide your choking hand immediately after threading it to prevent the opponent from grabbing and defending it.
  • Your head should be glued to the opponent’s head or cheek to limit their ability to turn and escape.
  • The squeeze should be chest-driven, not just arm-driven, to maximize blood choke efficiency.

Common mistakes

  • If you leave your choking hand exposed, the opponent will strip your grip and defend the choke.
  • If your elbow is not under the chin, you risk cranking the face or losing leverage, resulting in a weak choke.
  • If you flare your elbows or fail to connect your hands properly, the choke loses pressure and allows for hand fighting escapes.
  • If you lose hook or body triangle control, the opponent can turn into you and escape back control.

Counters & responses

They try: Opponent grabs your choking wrist with both hands (two-on-one defense)
You do: Peel their top hand with your support hand, then re-thread your choking arm quickly and hide your hand behind their head.
They try: Opponent tucks their chin tightly to block the choke
You do: Slide your choking arm across their jaw and apply gradual pressure, using your support hand to lift their chin or threaten a face crank to open the neck.
They try: Opponent bridges and turns to escape your hooks
You do: Switch to a body triangle or follow their hip movement, adjusting your upper body angle to maintain back exposure.
They try: Opponent peels your support hand off their head
You do: Switch to a short choke grip (palm to palm) or re-fight for hand position, keeping your head tight to block their defensive hand.

Drill prescription

6 rounds × 2 minutes per partner; 50% resistance; goal: achieve 3 clean RNC finishes per round without cranking the jaw, focusing on hand hiding and elbow alignment.

How the masters teach it

Videos are still being curated for this technique. AI suggests these instructors:
Marcelo Garcia — Emphasizes hand fighting and head positioning to secure the choke with minimal grip exposure.John Danaher — Focuses on systematic back control retention and progressive choking mechanics with chest expansion.Gordon Ryan — Integrates body triangle control and relentless hand fighting to finish the RNC at elite no-gi levels.Roger Gracie — Demonstrates classic RNC mechanics with perfect elbow alignment and pressure, known for high-percentage finishes.
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