Guillotine Chokes, Recounters, And Giving Space To Gain Control

There's more ways to win than just taking your opponent's space

Author

William
August 1st, 2023

Hey y’all,

Thanks for checking out Open Note Grappling! If this is your first time here, click here to check out the rest of my work and leave your email below to get the next post in your inbox.

Hope you like it! Now let’s get to today’s work.

Guillotine Chokes And Created Opportunities

Contrary to popular belief there is more than one way to do jiu-jitsu.

Some might argue that the only way to win in submission grappling is to lock your opponents down and progress through positions that end in a submission. That definitely works but some athletes have made entire careers off of something approximating the opposite.

Some athletes dance dynamically in, out, and around their opponents to confuse them. These athletes give their opponents enough space so they can lose on their own. At UFC 291, we saw one fighter do just that.

Classic Tricks on a New Stage

Gabriel Bonfim advanced his record to 15-0 with 12 submission wins at UFC 291. To say Bonfim is a submission specialist is an understatement.

Bonfim is on top of Giles in side control. Giles gets a frame in and Bonfim gives ground instead of fighting it.

Giles's frame turns into an under hook so he tries to wrestle up. Bonfim obliges and jumps into the guillotine he was setting up.

Gabriel Bonfim vs Trevin Giles

This trap is a classic tactic. You give someone space in a bad spot, they get hopeful, and then they rush forward to escape the position they're in only to leave their neck in a worse place. Marcelo Garcia made a career out of giving opponents enough space to get on their neck.

Garcia is passing Hall’s guard. Hall stands and Garcia snaps on a guillotine choke before sitting.

Hall comes on top and Garcia back rolls with the guillotine. Garcia starts passing with the choke before giving Hall the space to come up. Garcia ends the scramble hooking Hall’s legs so he can no longer pass and is forced to submit.

Marcelo Garcia training with Ryan Hall

Garcia is passing Hart’s guard. Hart tries to wrestle up but sticks his neck into Garcia’s arm pit. Garcia locks on the guillotine, passes to mount, and then gives up top position so he can better cinch the submission.

Marcelo Garcia vs David Hart

Guillotine Chokes Control the Head and Body

These gifs should not be interpreted as "never wrestle up." When you're wrestling up you just need to be aware of your neck's position relative to your hips.

Putting your head in with your hips out is a recipe for disaster. Your base is weak, you can get ripped around by your neck, and you're asking to get finished. If you're going to wrestle up, you need to be able to immediately get back to your feet so you can run through your opponent. If you stay under your opponent on a wrestle up you’re asking to get head locked.

There's a grappling cliche that everyone should remember: control the head, control the body. When someone gives you space for your head and neck but nothing else they're really just giving you the space to beat yourself.

We'll talk more about giving space for counters later. Today, we've already reached 500 words.

Open Note Grappling is a user supported publication. If you enjoy reading my writing, consider upgrading to the Premium Notebook! A premium subscription gets you:

  • More content

  • Access to my full archive

  • Weekly flowcharts and lesson plans to improve your training

  • Long form detailed studies of specific athletes and positions

You can upgrade and try the Premium Notebook for free here. What are you waiting for?

Know someone that might like Open Note Grappling? Use the button below to share this post and win a prize!