Buggy Choke
Submission · Side Control
A choke from the bottom of side control: your forearm closes one side of his neck and his own shoulder the other, and your legs pull the arm into place. The moment is when he keeps his head low near your body with his weight spread rather than heavy on your chest. Turn onto your side facing him and reach the arm by his head around his neck, wrist and forearm under the chin, not on the side of the neck. Raise your top leg so its knee comes over your biceps, grab your shin or ankle with the choking hand and lock the bottom leg over that ankle like a triangle. Clamp the elbow behind the knee and drop the heel to the mat to finish. The arm alone is too weak: the legs pull. If he pulls the head out, recover guard; if he switches to north-south, you end up in turtle. It can crank the neck: squeeze slowly and check the event rules.
How to do it
- Under side control, their crossface puts their head near your hip; their weight is spread across you and not heavy on your chest.
- Turn onto your side facing them and reach the arm by their head around their neck: the arm goes behind the head, wrist and forearm under their chin, not on the side of the neck.
- Raise your top leg so its knee comes over your biceps, and grab your own shin or ankle with the choking hand.
- Lock your bottom leg over the ankle of the top leg, like a triangle, so the legs hold the arm in place.
- Clamp the elbow in the crook of your knee, drop the heel towards the mat and finish by curling into them and dragging their shoulder down toward your hip: the legs drive the forearm up into the throat while their own shoulder closes the other side.
Key details
- Their own shoulder closes one side of the choke: your forearm closes the other.
- The legs pull the arm down: the arm alone is not strong enough to finish.
- Wrist under the chin, not on the side: only then is it a choke and not a neck crank.
- It works from a bad position, which makes it a surprise.
- Get onto your ribs first: post both thumbs on their shoulder, scoot your hips out and frame a forearm on their hip; on your side elbow and knee meet without a long reach.
Common mistakes
- Wrist on the side of the neck. — It is a neck crank, not a choke. — Slide the wrist under the chin.
- Leaving a gap under their shoulder. — Air still passes on that side. — Turn slightly toward them to close the space.
- Going for it when they are heavy on your chest. — You cannot lift the legs and your ribs get crushed. — Wait until the head drifts toward your hip.
- Finishing by pulling your foot toward your face. — It torques your own knee and can injure it. — Keep the elbow close to the knee and drag their shoulder down toward your hip.
How to drill it
Partner in side control with a crossface, head near your hip; lock the buggy choke slowly, 5 each side.
Safety
The choke can also crank the neck: squeeze slowly and release at the tap. If they stand up and lift you off the mat, let go: where slams are allowed this is dangerous. Check the event rules before using it in competition.
What comes next
Where it comes from