Anaconda Control Bottom represents a highly disadvantageous defensive position where the opponent has established the anaconda choke control from a front headlock or turtle position. The top player has secured a gable grip or figure-four grip around your neck and near-side arm, with their chest driving pressure down onto your trapped shoulder while their body is positioned perpendicular to yours. This position creates immense pressure on the neck and shoulder, restricting breathing and mobility while threatening the immediate finish of the anaconda choke submission.
The bottom player’s primary objectives are to prevent the choke from being locked in, relieve pressure on the neck, and create enough space to escape back to a neutral or more favorable position. Understanding the mechanics of how the anaconda works is crucial for defending it - the choke tightens as the top player pulls their choking arm’s elbow toward their own hip while driving their chest into your trapped shoulder, creating a constricting loop around your neck and arm. The bottom player must act decisively and systematically to address the immediate submission threat before working toward positional escape.
This position often occurs during scrambles from turtle, failed takedown attempts, or transitions from other front headlock positions, and represents one of the most dangerous control positions in modern no-gi grappling. The defensive hierarchy must prioritize survival over escape: first prevent the choke from tightening, then create breathing space, and finally work systematic escape to guard or neutral position. Time is critical - once the position is fully locked, escape becomes exponentially more difficult.
Position Definition
- Opponent has secured gable grip or figure-four grip around your neck and near-side arm, with their forearm creating a constricting loop that threatens the anaconda choke while your head and shoulder are trapped together in the control
- Top player’s chest is driving downward pressure into your trapped shoulder with their body positioned perpendicular to yours, using their body weight to compress the choke and restrict your mobility while maintaining tight connection throughout
- Your trapped arm is pinned between your own neck and the opponent’s encircling arm, severely limiting your ability to create frames or defensive space while the choke mechanism tightens around both your neck and shoulder together
- Your free arm and lower body remain mobile but are working against significant mechanical disadvantage, as any movement toward escape must first address the choking pressure before positional improvement becomes possible
Prerequisites
- Opponent has established front headlock control from turtle, scramble, or failed takedown
- Top player has successfully secured grip around neck and near-side arm
- Your head and shoulder are trapped together in opponent’s lock
- Opponent has begun driving pressure with chest into trapped shoulder
- Your base has been compromised from turtle or standing position
Key Defensive Principles
- Immediate priority is preventing the choke from tightening by addressing neck pressure and grip before positional escape
- Create space between your neck and opponent’s choking arm using your free hand to pull on their wrist or elbow
- Keep your chin tucked toward your free-side shoulder to minimize choking surface and protect the carotid arteries
- Use your free arm to post and create frames that prevent opponent from fully locking the position
- Move your hips away from opponent’s control to reduce their ability to drive chest pressure into your shoulder
- Prevent opponent from stepping over your head or rolling to mount, which would secure the submission
- Work systematically: first survive the choke, then create space, then escape to better position
Available Escapes
Hip Escape → Closed Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 30%
- Advanced: 45%
Technical Standup → Turtle
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 20%
- Intermediate: 35%
- Advanced: 50%
Rolling to Guard → Half Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 10%
- Intermediate: 25%
- Advanced: 40%
Frame and Shrimp → Butterfly Guard
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 18%
- Intermediate: 32%
- Advanced: 48%
Rolling Escape → Defensive Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 12%
- Intermediate: 28%
- Advanced: 42%
Hip Movement → Scramble Position
Success Rates:
- Beginner: 8%
- Intermediate: 22%
- Advanced: 38%
Decision Making from This Position
If opponent has secured anaconda grip but hasn’t stepped over or rolled yet:
- Execute Grip Break → Front Headlock (Probability: 40%)
- Execute Hip Escape → Turtle (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Frame Creation → Scramble Position (Probability: 25%)
If opponent begins stepping over your head to finish the choke:
- Execute Rolling to Guard → Half Guard (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Bridge and Shrimp → Half Guard (Probability: 25%)
- Execute Counter Sweep → Scramble Position (Probability: 20%)
If opponent attempts to roll you to complete the choke:
- Execute Rolling Escape → Turtle (Probability: 35%)
- Execute Frame Creation → Front Headlock (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Guard Pull → Closed Guard (Probability: 25%)
If the choke is partially locked but opponent hasn’t finished:
- Execute Creating Space → Defensive Position (Probability: 45%)
- Execute Hip Escape → Turtle (Probability: 30%)
- Execute Grip Fighting → Half Guard (Probability: 25%)
Escape and Survival Paths
Immediate escape to neutral
Anaconda Control Bottom → Grip Break → Turtle → Technical Standup → Standing Position
Defensive recovery to guard
Anaconda Control Bottom → Hip Escape → Half Guard → Guard Recovery → Closed Guard
Counter-scramble path
Anaconda Control Bottom → Rolling to Guard → Scramble Position → Butterfly Guard → Butterfly Sweep → Mount
Success Rates and Statistics
| Skill Level | Retention Rate | Advancement Probability | Submission Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 50% | 10% | 0% |
| Intermediate | 70% | 25% | 0% |
| Advanced | 85% | 45% | 5% |
Average Time in Position: 10-30 seconds (escape or submit quickly)
Expert Analysis
John Danaher
The anaconda control from bottom represents a critical juncture where biomechanical understanding becomes survival. The choke operates through a gooseneck mechanism where the choking arm’s radius bone acts as a fulcrum against the carotid arteries while the opponent’s chest pressure drives your trapped shoulder into your own neck, creating a scissoring effect. Your defensive hierarchy must be: first, prevent the choke from tightening by addressing the choking arm’s elbow position; second, create space at the neck by manipulating the opponent’s wrist away from your centerline; third, mobilize your hips away from their pressure to reduce the mechanical advantage of their chest drive. The critical technical point is understanding that pulling your head backward actually tightens the choke by increasing tension in their arm lock. Instead, you must push the choking elbow away while turning into the choke toward your trapped side, which paradoxically loosens the constriction by changing the angle of attack. Students must drill the specific hand fighting pattern of controlling the opponent’s choking wrist with their free hand while posting with that same-side leg to create the angular escape. The window of opportunity is measured in seconds once the grip is established, making this positional knowledge literally life-preserving in competition.
Gordon Ryan
I’ve been caught in anaconda position enough times in competition to know that hesitation equals tapping. The moment you feel that grip lock around your neck and arm, you need to explode with your defensive response - there’s no time for technical perfection, just survival first. What works for me at the highest levels is immediately fighting the wrist of their choking arm with my free hand while simultaneously driving my hips away from their chest pressure. I’m not trying to be pretty here; I’m creating enough space to breathe and think. The biggest mistake I see competitors make is trying to pull their head straight out, which just gives the opponent more leverage to finish. Instead, I turn into the choke - sounds crazy but it works - while pushing their elbow away from my neck. If they’re stepping over my head, I’m using my free hand to post on their hip and either preventing that step or rolling through with their momentum to come up on top or into their guard. In ADCC and high-level no-gi, the anaconda is a fight-ender if you don’t know these specific counters. I drill the defensive sequence until it’s pure muscle memory because when the choke is on, your thinking brain shuts down and only your trained responses remain.
Eddie Bravo
The anaconda control from bottom is what we call a ‘checkmate position’ in 10th Planet if you don’t have the right tools, but with our system, there are some really slick ways out that most people don’t know about. First thing, you cannot be passive - that choke locks up in seconds and you’re done. What I teach my students is the ‘spiral escape’ where you’re not just pushing the choking arm away, you’re actually rotating your whole body in a corkscrew motion toward your trapped arm side while using your free hand to pull their wrist. It’s like unscrewing yourself from their lock. If they’re trying to step over and finish, that’s actually your best opportunity because their base gets elevated for a second and you can either post on their leg to prevent it or, and this is the advanced move, you roll through with them but grab their leg during the roll and come up into a leglock position or back to guard. We have guys who’ve turned this horrible position into submission opportunities by understanding the timing of the roll. The key innovation from 10th Planet is using the rubber guard flexibility training to make your neck more resistant to the choke initially, buying you those extra two or three seconds to execute the escape. Train the neck, train the escape timing, and what looks like a death sentence becomes just another position to work from.