Guillotine Control Top

Jan 23, 202610 min read

Guillotine Control Top is a dominant submission-control position where the top practitioner has secured a guillotine choke grip while maintaining superior positioning. This position represents a critical junction between positional control and submission finishing, offering the top player multiple high-percentage pathways to victory. The position is characterized by the choking arm wrapped around the opponent’s neck with hands clasped together, while the top player uses their body weight and positioning to prevent escape and tighten the submission. Unlike the guillotine from guard (where the bottom player attempts the choke), this top variation provides superior leverage and control, making it one of the highest-percentage submissions in modern BJJ.

The strategic value of Guillotine Control Top lies in its versatility—the top player can finish the submission from multiple positions (standing, closed guard top, half guard top, or even while passing), adjust grip configurations for different finishing mechanics, or use the threat of the choke to advance position. The position creates a powerful dilemma for the opponent: defending the choke often opens pathways to mount, back control, or other dominant positions, while ignoring positional defense to focus solely on hand fighting leaves them vulnerable to the finish. This makes Guillotine Control Top not just a submission position, but a complete control system that forces opponents into progressively worse situations regardless of their defensive choices.

Position Definition

  • Choking arm wrapped around opponent’s neck with forearm or bicep crossing the front of the throat, head trapped between arm and body
  • Hands clasped together in a secure grip configuration (palm-to-palm, gable grip, or arm-in variation) creating a closed loop around the neck
  • Top player’s body weight distributed to prevent opponent from standing or creating space, typically with hips heavy and head positioning controlling direction
  • Top player maintains superior position (standing over, in closed guard top, half guard top, or side control) with ability to adjust angle and pressure
  • Opponent’s posture broken forward with head lower than hips, limiting their ability to relieve pressure on the neck or create defensive frames

Prerequisites

  • Successful guillotine grip established from guard pull, sprawl, turtle attack, or scramble situation
  • Control of opponent’s head with ability to break their posture forward
  • Top player has established or is establishing superior positioning (not locked in opponent’s closed guard)
  • Hands secured together in chosen grip configuration with proper forearm or bicep placement across throat
  • Opponent’s defensive frames either not established or being actively controlled

Key Offensive Principles

  • Keep opponent’s head lower than their hips at all times to maintain choke pressure and prevent escape
  • Use hip pressure and body weight to close space and prevent opponent from creating defensive distance
  • Maintain tight connection between choking arm and your torso—any gap reduces choking pressure significantly
  • Control opponent’s ability to turn into you or away from you using head position, shoulder pressure, and leg positioning
  • Adjust grip and angle continuously based on opponent’s defensive movements rather than maintaining static position
  • Use the threat of the choke to facilitate position advancement when direct finish is not immediately available
  • Keep your own posture strong and base wide to prevent opponent from sweeping or reversing while you work the submission

Available Attacks

Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 60%
  • Advanced: 75%

High Elbow Guillotine → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 35%
  • Intermediate: 55%
  • Advanced: 70%

Arm in Guillotine → Won by Submission

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 40%
  • Intermediate: 58%
  • Advanced: 72%

Front Headlock to Anaconda → Anaconda Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 30%
  • Intermediate: 50%
  • Advanced: 65%

Front Headlock to Darce → D’arce Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 28%
  • Intermediate: 48%
  • Advanced: 63%

Transition to Mount → Mount

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 50%
  • Intermediate: 65%
  • Advanced: 78%

Transition to North-South → North-South

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 55%
  • Intermediate: 68%
  • Advanced: 80%

Guard Pass → Side Control

Success Rates:

  • Beginner: 45%
  • Intermediate: 62%
  • Advanced: 75%

Opponent Escapes

Escape Counters

Decision Making from This Position

If opponent’s posture is broken forward and chin is exposed:

If opponent tucks chin and defends neck but neglects position:

If opponent turns into you to defend:

If opponent has arm trapped inside the guillotine:

If opponent creates distance with legs but not hand fighting:

Common Offensive Mistakes

1. Pulling straight back on the choke without controlling opponent’s hips or legs

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent establishes closed guard, neutralizes top position advantage, and may even sweep or submit with own attacks
  • ✅ Correction: Maintain hip pressure forward, sprawl legs back, and use circular pulling motion while stepping to side to prevent guard closure

2. Allowing gap between choking arm and your own torso during finish attempt

  • ❌ Consequence: Choking pressure dissipates entirely, opponent can breathe freely, and defensive hand fighting becomes much more effective
  • ✅ Correction: Keep elbow tight to ribs, pull forearm into your chest/sternum, and use lat engagement to maintain compression throughout the choke

3. Maintaining only one grip configuration regardless of opponent’s defensive adjustments

  • ❌ Consequence: Predictable attack allows opponent to develop specific defense, reducing finish rate and wasting energy on ineffective attempts
  • ✅ Correction: Flow between palm-to-palm, gable grip, and arm-in variations based on opponent’s chin position and hand fighting responses

4. Neglecting positional advancement when opponent successfully defends the choke

  • ❌ Consequence: Stalemate position develops where neither player can advance, wasting time and energy without productive outcome
  • ✅ Correction: Use opponent’s focus on neck defense to pass guard, take mount, or transition to other submissions like anaconda or darce

5. Pulling upward on opponent’s head instead of controlling direction with shoulder and hip positioning

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent can bridge, roll, or create angles that relieve pressure and potentially reverse position
  • ✅ Correction: Keep opponent’s head directed toward your hip/pocket, use shoulder pressure to control their upper body direction, sprawl to prevent bridges

6. Gripping too shallow with forearm across face instead of deep around neck

  • ❌ Consequence: No choking pressure on carotid arteries or trachea, opponent experiences discomfort but not submission threat, extended stalling occurs
  • ✅ Correction: Ensure blade of forearm or bicep crosses front of throat, adjust entry angle if needed, and verify hand position is behind opponent’s head not their face

7. Remaining stationary and static instead of making micro-adjustments to angle and pressure

  • ❌ Consequence: Opponent finds comfortable defensive position, can breathe and think clearly, eventually escapes or forces stalemate
  • ✅ Correction: Constantly adjust hip angle, stepping pattern, and shoulder pressure in small increments to maintain opponent’s discomfort and prevent defensive settling

Training Drills for Attacks

Guillotine Grip Flow Drill

Partner allows you to secure guillotine from various entries (sprawl, turtle, guard pull). Focus on quickly securing deep grip, clasping hands properly, and immediately establishing top pressure without allowing guard closure. Rotate through different grip types (gable, palm-to-palm, arm-in) to develop versatility. Partner provides light resistance to hand fighting but does not attempt full escapes.

Duration: 5 minutes per partner

Position Before Submission Drill

Start in guillotine control top with partner defending choke. Your goal is not to finish but to advance position to mount, side control, or north-south while maintaining the grip. This develops ability to use choke threat for position advancement. Partner defends choke actively but allows positional movement when you create proper angles.

Duration: 3 minute rounds, switch roles

Guillotine Finishing Sequences

Start with established guillotine control top, partner is allowed to defend. Work through systematic finishing sequence: standard guillotine, if defended adjust to high elbow, if defended transition to anaconda or darce, if defended advance position. Develops ability to chain attacks rather than forcing single technique. Gradually increase partner’s defensive intensity over multiple rounds.

Duration: 4 minute rounds, 30 second rest between

Sprawl to Guillotine Control

Partner shoots double leg or single leg takedown. Sprawl and immediately secure guillotine grip, then establish top control without allowing guard closure. Focus on seamless transition from defensive sprawl to offensive control position. This is one of the highest-percentage entries in competition. Partner shoots at 70% intensity.

Duration: 10 repetitions per side

Guard Prevention Drill

Start in guillotine control with partner attempting to close guard, you must maintain top position using hip pressure, leg positioning, and angle changes. Develops crucial skill of keeping dominant position while working submission. If partner closes guard, restart. Partner uses full effort to close guard.

Duration: 2 minute rounds, 5 rounds

Optimal Submission Paths

Direct finish from standing entry

Sprawl → Guillotine Setup → Guillotine Control Top → Guillotine Choke → Won by Submission

High-percentage arm-in variation

Guard Pull → Guillotine Setup → Guillotine Control Top → Arm in Guillotine → Won by Submission

Anaconda transition path

Guillotine Control Top → Front Headlock to Anaconda → Anaconda Control → Anaconda Choke → Won by Submission

Position advancement to mount finish

Guillotine Control Top → Transition to Mount → Mount → Armbar from Mount → Won by Submission

Darce conversion from defense

Guillotine Control Top → Front Headlock to Darce → D'arce Control → Darce Choke → Won by Submission

Success Rates and Statistics

Skill LevelRetention RateAdvancement ProbabilitySubmission Probability
Beginner55%45%40%
Intermediate68%62%60%
Advanced78%75%75%

Average Time in Position: 30-90 seconds

  • Front Headlock - Similar position - precursor position before securing guillotine grip
  • Anaconda Control - Transition target - common alternative when guillotine is defended
  • D’arce Control - Transition target - alternative choke when opponent turns into guillotine
  • Mount - Transition target - position advancement using guillotine threat
  • North-South - Transition target - alternative advancement path
  • Guillotine Choke - Primary submission - main finishing technique from this position
  • High Elbow Guillotine - Submission variation - alternative finishing mechanics
  • Arm in Guillotine - Submission variation - opportunistic variation when arm is trapped
  • Marcelo Garcia Guillotine System - Expert system - comprehensive approach to guillotine game
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