The Gogoplata is an advanced submission from the Rubber Guard system that uses your shin across the opponent’s throat to create a crushing choke. This technique represents one of the most visually distinctive and mechanically demanding submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, requiring exceptional hip flexibility, precise angle creation, and disciplined hand fighting to execute successfully. The submission gained widespread recognition through its effective use in high-level competition, demonstrating that even against elite grapplers, the Gogoplata presents genuine finishing threats when properly applied.
The technique operates on a simple but devastating mechanical principle: by placing your shin bone directly across the opponent’s trachea and pulling their head down into that pressure, you create a choke that attacks both the airway and blood supply. Unlike many submissions where escape routes exist through postural adjustments, the Gogoplata’s finishing position offers limited defensive options once fully locked. The trapped opponent must either tap or risk unconsciousness, as the combination of tracheal compression and carotid pressure accelerates the submission timeline dramatically.
From Mission Control, the Gogoplata setup requires bringing your attacking foot across the opponent’s shoulder line and behind their head, then using your hands to pull their head down into your shin. The position demands that you maintain hip elevation and core engagement throughout, as any relaxation allows the opponent to posture and potentially escape or stack. The technique integrates seamlessly with the broader Rubber Guard attack system, chaining naturally with omoplata, triangle, and armbar attempts when the primary Gogoplata entry is defended.
Competition footage shows the Gogoplata succeeding primarily when opponents are unfamiliar with the position’s danger or when they’re already compromised in their posture from preceding Rubber Guard attacks. The submission’s unconventional appearance often causes defenders to misjudge the threat level, creating windows for finish that more traditional attacks might not generate. However, the flexibility requirements mean this technique suits certain body types better than others, and practitioners should honestly assess their physical attributes before investing heavily in Gogoplata development.
From Position: Mission Control (Bottom) Success Rate: 50%
Possible Outcomes
| Result | Position | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Success | Gogoplata Control | 55% |
| Failure | Mission Control | 30% |
| Counter | Mount | 15% |
Attacker vs Defender
| Attacker | Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Execute technique | Prevent or counter |
| Key Principles | Hip elevation must be maintained throughout the attack to ge… | Address the submission immediately - the Gogoplata’s dual ai… |
| Options | 6 execution steps | 4 defensive options |
Playing as Attacker
Key Principles
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Hip elevation must be maintained throughout the attack to generate sufficient shin pressure on the throat
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Head control through hand grips is essential - pull opponent’s head into your shin rather than pushing shin into throat
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The choking leg must cross deep behind opponent’s head, shin positioned directly across the anterior throat
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Angle your hips away from the trapped arm side to prevent the common stack escape
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Maintain constant pulling pressure on the back of opponent’s head to prevent posture recovery
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Keep your non-choking leg active as a secondary control point, either hooking their body or creating hip angle
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Recognize the submission is position-dependent - if opponent achieves significant posture, transition rather than force
Execution Steps
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Secure Mission Control: From closed guard or rubber guard, establish Mission Control with your same-side hand reaching over …
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Release shin grip: Release your grip on your shin while maintaining the overhook control on their arm. Your attacking l…
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Thread the attacking foot: Circle your attacking foot up and over their shoulder, threading it behind their head. Your shin bon…
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Secure head control: Both hands now reach behind opponent’s head, interlocking your fingers or grabbing wrist-to-wrist at…
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Create finishing angle: Hip out slightly to the side opposite your attacking leg, creating an angle that prevents opponent f…
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Apply finishing pressure: Pull opponent’s head forcefully down into your shin using your grip behind their head while simultan…
Common Mistakes
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Attempting the Gogoplata without fully breaking opponent’s posture first
- Consequence: Opponent maintains enough structure to stack and escape, potentially passing to side control
- Correction: Spend additional time in Mission Control ensuring complete posture break before attempting to thread the foot behind the head
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Flat hips on the mat during the finishing sequence
- Consequence: Insufficient pressure on the throat and easy escape path for opponent to posture out
- Correction: Maintain constant hip elevation by engaging your core and glutes - think about driving your hip up into their throat, not just pulling their head
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Grabbing the neck instead of behind the head for the finishing grip
- Consequence: Poor leverage for pulling and potential illegal grip in competition depending on ruleset
- Correction: Grip must be on the occipital bone at the back of the skull - this provides maximum pulling leverage and keeps the choke legal
Playing as Defender
Key Principles
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Address the submission immediately - the Gogoplata’s dual airway and blood supply attack creates a compressed defense timeline compared to other submissions
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Turn chin toward the knee crook of the choking leg as the first survival action to create breathing space before attempting full escape
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Never pull straight backward - the foot behind your head creates a closed loop that tightens the choke when you pull away
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Attack the foot position behind your head rather than the shin across your throat - removing the structural anchor eliminates the entire submission
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Use your hands on opponent’s hips to prevent their hip elevation rather than grabbing at the choking leg where your arms are mechanically disadvantaged
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Prevent the setup from Mission Control through early posture recovery and arm extraction rather than defending a fully locked Gogoplata
Recognition Cues
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Opponent releases their shin grip in Mission Control and begins pushing your head down with their free hand while their attacking foot starts circling upward over your shoulder
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You feel the opponent’s shin bone sliding from your shoulder blade area toward your neck and throat as their foot arcs behind your head
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Opponent’s hands shift from overhook and head control to reaching behind your head with both hands, indicating they are securing the pulling grip for the finish
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Sudden increase in downward pressure on the back of your skull combined with a bony ridge pressing across your anterior throat - the shin is in position and finishing pressure is being applied
Defensive Options
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Posture recovery and stacking pressure before the foot threads behind the head - When: Early in the setup when opponent releases their shin grip and begins threading the foot - the highest percentage defense window
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Strip the foot from behind your head using both hands while tucking chin toward the knee crook - When: When the foot is behind your head but opponent has not yet secured a deep two-handed grip on the back of your skull
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Drive hips into opponent to flatten their hip elevation while turning chin into knee crook - When: When the Gogoplata is partially locked but opponent’s hips are not maximally elevated - their finishing angle is imperfect
Position Integration
The Gogoplata exists as a cornerstone attack within the Rubber Guard system, specifically branching from Mission Control position. It integrates with the broader 10th Planet methodology through direct connections to omoplata, triangle, and armbar attacks - when opponents defend the Gogoplata, they typically expose themselves to one of these alternative submissions. The technique also connects to the Carni and New York positions as alternative rubber guard control points when Gogoplata isn’t available. In the larger BJJ ecosystem, Gogoplata represents an advanced submission option that rewards practitioners who invest in hip flexibility and rubber guard development, while providing genuine finishing threats against opponents unfamiliar with the system.