Rear Naked Choke

SAFETY: Rear Naked Choke targets the Carotid arteries and jugular veins. Risk: Loss of consciousness from blood choke. Release immediately upon tap.

Position Variants

From Position	Success Rate	Top Injury Risk	Key Difference
Back Control	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Body Triangle	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Crucifix	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Gift Wrap	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Harness	65%	Loss of consciousness from bilateral carotid compression
Invisible Collar	65%	Loss of consciousness from bilateral carotid compression
Mounted Crucifix	65%	Loss of consciousness from bilateral carotid compression
Rear Triangle	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Rodeo Ride	50%	Loss of consciousness from sustained compression of carotid arteries cutting blood supply to the brain
Russian Cowboy	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Seat Belt Control Back	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Standing Back Control	65%	Loss of consciousness from blood choke
Standing Rear Clinch	35%	Carotid artery dissection from excessive or jerking pressure on the neck vasculature

The Rear Naked Choke (RNC) is widely considered the highest-percentage submission in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. This blood choke targets the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck, cutting off blood flow to the brain and causing unconsciousness in 6-10 seconds if not released. Unlike air chokes that can take 30+ seconds and cause panic, the RNC is efficient and relatively safe when applied correctly with proper training protocols. The position’s effectiveness stems from the back control position itself - the opponent cannot see you, cannot effectively defend with their arms, and must deal with your body weight and control while their breathing and circulation are compromised. The RNC is the most common submission finish in high-level competition, with statistics showing it accounts for approximately 25-30% of all submission victories in professional MMA and 15-20% in gi BJJ competition. The technique’s universality across gi and no-gi contexts, combined with its mechanical simplicity and high success rate even against larger opponents, makes it an essential technique for all practitioners regardless of style or body type.

Category: Choke Type: Blood Choke Target Area: Carotid arteries and jugular veins Success Rate: 65% (average across variants)

Safety Guide

Injury Risks:

Injury	Severity	Recovery Time
Loss of consciousness from blood choke	High	Immediate to 30 seconds with proper release
Trachea damage from improper forearm placement	CRITICAL	2-6 weeks, potential permanent damage
Neck strain or muscle damage	Medium	3-7 days
Carotid artery injury from excessive force	CRITICAL	Immediate medical attention required

Application Speed: SLOW and progressive - 3-5 seconds minimum in training. Never snap or jerk the choke. Partner should have full awareness of pressure building.

Tap Signals:

• Verbal tap (say ‘tap’ or make any verbal sound)
• Physical hand tap on opponent’s body or mat
• Physical foot tap on mat
• Going limp or loss of consciousness
• Any distress signal or unusual sound

Release Protocol:

1. Immediately release choking arm upon tap signal
2. Remove hooks and body triangle if present
3. Gently guide partner to side-lying recovery position
4. Monitor consciousness and breathing for 30 seconds
5. If partner was unconscious, keep them lying down until fully alert
6. Never allow unconscious partner to stand immediately

Training Restrictions:

• Never use competition speed or intensity in drilling
• Never apply the choke to the trachea or windpipe
• Always ensure partner has clear tap access with both hands
• Stop immediately if partner makes any distress sound
• Never hold a choke past the tap for any reason
• Beginners must practice with extremely slow progression only

Variation Details

Short Choke (Palm on Head): Instead of grabbing your bicep with the back hand, place your palm directly on the back of opponent’s head. Your choking arm’s hand grabs your own wrist behind their head. This variation is faster to apply and useful when opponent is defending their neck heavily with their hands. (When to use: Use when opponent has strong hand fighting and is preventing you from securing the bicep grip. Also effective in scrambles where you need to finish quickly before they escape back control.)

Body Triangle Rear Naked Choke: Apply the same choke mechanics but with a body triangle instead of hooks for lower body control. Lock your foot behind your opposite knee across their stomach. The body triangle prevents hip escape and makes it impossible for opponent to turn into you while you work for the neck. (When to use: Use when opponent is aggressively defending hooks by clearing them, or when you have a size/flexibility advantage. Particularly effective when opponent is attempting to stand up or roll to escape.)

Rear Naked Choke from Standing Back Control: Apply the same upper body mechanics while standing with your hooks in on a standing opponent, or with feet on the ground. This is common in MMA and self-defense contexts. The standing variation requires you to pull opponent’s weight backward onto you. (When to use: Use when you take the back from a standing position, in MMA when opponent stands up with you on their back, or in self-defense scenarios. Jump to hooks or drag opponent to ground for better control.)

High Elbow Rear Naked Choke: Position your choking arm’s elbow higher up, almost level with their ear. This creates a different angle of pressure on the carotid arteries and can be more effective against certain opponent neck types. The finish involves pulling your elbow upward and back rather than straight back. (When to use: Use when opponent has a very thick or muscular neck where standard positioning isn’t creating enough pressure. Also useful when you’re shorter than your opponent and cannot easily position the standard way.)

From Which Positions?

• Back Control
• Turtle
• Crucifix
• Mount
• Closed Guard
• Half Guard
• Gift Wrap
• Harness

Related Submissions

• Far Side Armbar - Arm attack when opponent commits both hands to RNC neck defense
• Belly Down Armbar - Arm attack from back control when opponent turns belly down to escape
• Bow and Arrow Choke - Alternative high-percentage gi choke from back control using collar and leg leverage
• Clock Choke - Collar choke alternative from turtle and back control transitions
• Arm Triangle - Choke option during failed back control to front-facing transitions
• Guillotine Choke - Front headlock choke in scrambles when opponent escapes back control forward
• Ezekiel Choke - Surprise inside choke variation available from back control position
• Cross Collar Choke - Gi-based choke alternative from back control using cross-collar grips
• Baseball Bat Choke - Cross-grip gi choke alternative from back control
• Darce Choke - Arm-in choke from front headlock when opponent turtles during back escape
• Rear Naked Choke - RNC variation with body triangle for enhanced hip control and pressure

Additional Related Content

• Back Control - Primary attacking position for this submission
• Gift Wrap - Control position that traps one arm, making neck defense difficult
• Harness - Alternative back control grip system for controlling opponent
• Body Triangle - Lower body control variation that prevents hip escapes during choke
• Turtle - Common entry position for establishing back control
• Crucifix - Advanced arm-trapping position that eliminates neck defense
• Seat Belt Control Back - Primary grip configuration for controlling opponent from back
• Mounted Crucifix - Advanced arm-trapping position combining mount pressure with crucifix control for undefended neck access
• Bow and Arrow Choke - Alternative high-percentage choke from back control using gi
• Armbar from Back Transition - Arm attack transition when choke defense is strong, forcing dilemma between neck and arm defense

Match Outcome

Successful execution of Rear Naked Choke leads to → Game Over

All submissions in BJJ ultimately converge to the same terminal state: the match ends when your opponent taps.