The Peruvian Necktie Setup is an advanced submission transition that exploits opponent’s defensive turtle position or failed takedown attempts. This technique combines elements of front headlock control with creative body positioning to establish a powerful choking mechanism. The setup requires precise timing and exceptional understanding of weight distribution, as the practitioner must maintain control while transitioning their body underneath the opponent. Unlike traditional front headlock attacks, the Peruvian Necktie utilizes the opponent’s own shoulder as a fulcrum point, creating a unique choking mechanism that attacks both the carotid arteries and applies pressure to the neck. The technique gained prominence in modern no-gi competition and represents the evolution of front headlock finishing sequences. Success with this setup demands strong grip control, flexibility to maneuver underneath the opponent, and the ability to recognize the precise moment when defensive posture creates the necessary opening for entry.
Starting Position: Front Headlock Ending Position: Peruvian Necktie Success Rates: Beginner 20%, Intermediate 35%, Advanced 50%
Key Principles
- Establish dominant front headlock control before attempting the setup
- Use opponent’s defensive turtle posture to create space for body insertion
- Secure deep overhook grip on near arm to prevent escape
- Thread your body underneath opponent while maintaining head control
- Position opponent’s shoulder as the choking fulcrum point
- Control opponent’s hips to prevent rolling escape
- Maintain constant pressure throughout the transitional phase
Prerequisites
- Front headlock position established with head control
- Opponent in defensive turtle or failed single leg position
- Deep overhook secured on opponent’s near arm
- Sufficient space to thread body underneath opponent
- Strong grip on opponent’s head or neck
- Opponent’s weight distributed forward over their knees
Execution Steps
- Establish front headlock control: From standing or scramble position, secure a tight front headlock with your arm wrapped around opponent’s head and neck. Your chest should be heavy on their upper back, forcing their head down. Grip your hands together in a gable grip or secure a deep overhook on their near arm. (Timing: Control must be established before opponent can posture up)
- Secure deep overhook: Release the gable grip and thread your near arm deep underneath opponent’s armpit, securing a tight overhook. Your hand should reach across their back, gripping their far lat or shoulder. This overhook prevents them from pulling their arm free and creates the structural foundation for the choke. (Timing: Transition smoothly from gable grip to overhook before opponent recognizes the setup)
- Drop to outside hip: While maintaining head and overhook control, drop your weight to your outside hip (same side as the overhook). Your free hand maintains pressure on opponent’s head, keeping it trapped. Position your body at approximately 90 degrees to opponent’s body alignment. (Timing: Drop weight suddenly to prevent opponent from following you down)
- Thread leg underneath: Begin threading your outside leg underneath opponent’s chest and body. Your shin should slide across the mat underneath their torso. Maintain constant downward pressure on their head with your choking arm while the overhook prevents them from sprawling away. Your body begins to invert underneath theirs. (Timing: Leg insertion must be quick and smooth while opponent is still processing the position change)
- Secure leg triangle: As your leg threads through, lock a triangle configuration with your legs around opponent’s body. Your outside leg hooks over your inside leg’s ankle or shin. This leg triangle creates a frame that traps opponent’s body and prevents them from rolling through or escaping laterally. (Timing: Lock triangle before opponent can turn into you)
- Adjust choking arm position: Fine-tune your choking arm so opponent’s own shoulder becomes the fulcrum point pressing into their neck. Your forearm wraps tightly around their neck with their shoulder blade wedged against their carotid artery. Maintain the overhook to keep their arm trapped and prevent hand fighting. (Timing: Make adjustments while controlling with leg triangle)
- Complete body positioning: Your body should now be fully underneath opponent with your back on the mat, legs locked in triangle around their torso, overhook secured, and choking arm tight around neck. Arch your hips upward to increase pressure on the choke. Keep opponent’s head pulled tight to your chest to prevent them from creating space. (Timing: Final position should feel locked and controlled before applying finishing pressure)
Opponent Counters
- Opponent pulls trapped arm free before overhook is secured (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Immediately switch to traditional front headlock attacks like anaconda or guillotine, or re-establish gable grip and work for back take
- Opponent postures up and sprawls backward before leg can thread through (Effectiveness: High) - Your Response: Follow opponent’s backward movement, maintain head control, and transition to standing guillotine or snap them back down to turtle
- Opponent rolls through toward your legs as you invert (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Use their rolling momentum to establish back control or transition to mounted triangle position
- Opponent creates frame with free arm against your hip (Effectiveness: Medium) - Your Response: Kick your outside leg through faster to prevent frame establishment, or use their frame to pivot into alternative front headlock finishes
- Opponent stands up while you’re mid-transition (Effectiveness: Low) - Your Response: Maintain head control and overhook, allow yourself to hang from opponent, then use your body weight to pull them back down or transition to standing guillotine
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: Why is the overhook grip critical for the Peruvian Necktie setup? A: The overhook serves multiple essential functions: it prevents opponent from pulling their trapped arm free and escaping, creates structural control over their upper body, and helps maintain connection during the inversion phase. Without a secure overhook, opponent can easily extract their arm and escape before the position is established. The overhook also helps control their shoulder positioning, which is crucial for the choking mechanism.
Q2: What is the most common timing window for entering the Peruvian Necktie setup? A: The optimal timing is when opponent is defending in turtle position with their weight committed forward over their knees, typically after a failed takedown attempt or while defending other front headlock attacks. This forward weight distribution creates space underneath their body for leg insertion. Another key moment is when opponent is static in turtle, not actively working to improve position, as their lack of movement makes the setup easier to complete.
Q3: How does the shoulder function as a fulcrum in the Peruvian Necktie choking mechanism? A: The opponent’s own shoulder blade is wedged against the side of their neck, pressing into the carotid artery. When you pull their head tight to your chest with the choking arm, their shoulder acts as a hard surface that the soft tissue of their neck is compressed against. This creates the blood choke by restricting blood flow to the brain. The unique geometry of this setup means opponent’s body structure contributes to their own submission.
Q4: What should you do if opponent begins to roll through your legs during the setup? A: Use their rolling momentum to your advantage by transitioning to back control or mounted triangle position. Maintain your grips and allow the roll to complete while you adjust your leg positioning to establish hooks or mount. The key is not fighting against their roll but rather flowing with it to a better position. If you resist the roll, you’ll likely lose the position entirely, but flowing with it maintains your offensive advantage.
Q5: Why is the Peruvian Necktie considered more effective in no-gi than gi competition? A: In no-gi, opponents cannot use gi grips to control distance or establish defensive frames as effectively. The front headlock control is tighter without gi fabric creating space, and the body-to-body contact required for the setup is more secure with skin-on-skin friction. Additionally, no-gi competitors often use more wrestling-based defensive postures in turtle, which create the exact forward weight distribution that makes the setup accessible. The overhook is also more difficult to defend without gi sleeve grips.
Q6: What is the primary difference between the Peruvian Necktie and the Japanese Necktie? A: The primary difference is the threading angle of the choking arm. In the Peruvian Necktie, the arm threads underneath the opponent’s armpit (using an overhook), while in the Japanese Necktie, the arm threads over the opponent’s shoulder from the opposite side. Both create a necktie-style choke using the shoulder as a fulcrum, but the entry mechanics and optimal timing windows differ. The Peruvian variation is generally considered easier to enter from traditional front headlock positions.
Safety Considerations
The Peruvian Necktie is a blood choke that can cause unconsciousness rapidly if applied with full force. Practice this technique with controlled pressure and clear communication with training partners. Always tap immediately when caught in this position as the choking mechanism tightens quickly due to the shoulder fulcrum. When applying the technique, release pressure immediately upon feeling a tap or verbal submission. During drilling phases, focus on position achievement rather than finishing the choke. Be especially cautious during the inversion phase as rapid movements can strain neck muscles or cause dizziness. Partners with neck injuries should avoid this technique entirely. The leg threading motion can also create torque on the knee if executed incorrectly, so maintain proper leg alignment throughout. Always practice under qualified supervision, particularly during initial learning phases.
Position Integration
The Peruvian Necktie Setup represents an advanced branch of the front headlock submission system, complementing traditional attacks like the anaconda choke, darce choke, and guillotine. Within the overall BJJ hierarchy, this setup emerges most frequently from scramble positions, failed takedown attempts, and turtle defense scenarios. It serves as a valuable addition to any practitioner’s front headlock game because it attacks from a different angle than conventional front headlock submissions, creating additional layers to the positional threat matrix. When opponent becomes proficient at defending anacondas and darces, the Peruvian Necktie provides an alternative finish that exploits different defensive reactions. This technique integrates particularly well with wrestling-based BJJ games, as it capitalizes on the same front headlock control that wrestlers naturally establish. The position also connects to the broader submission hunting strategy where practitioners create multiple threat sequences from dominant positions, forcing opponents into defensive dilemmas. Advanced competitors use this setup as part of a comprehensive front headlock system that includes back takes, arm-in guillotines, and position advances, with each attack flowing seamlessly into the next based on opponent’s defensive responses.
Expert Insights
- Danaher System: The Peruvian Necktie represents a fascinating biomechanical puzzle where we utilize the opponent’s own skeletal structure as the primary weapon against them. The effectiveness of this technique stems from the geometric relationship between the shoulder girdle and cervical spine - when properly positioned, the scapula becomes an immovable fulcrum that concentrates choking pressure on the carotid arteries with remarkable efficiency. The critical technical element that most practitioners miss is the requirement for complete body insertion underneath the opponent’s torso. Half-committed entries result in positional instability and easy escapes. The setup demands simultaneous control of multiple vectors: downward pressure on the head preventing posture recovery, lateral control via the overhook preventing arm extraction, and inferior body positioning creating the inversion angle. When these vectors converge with proper timing, the technique becomes remarkably high-percentage despite its apparent complexity. Study the relationship between your hip position and the angle of leg insertion - this geometric consideration determines whether the position feels tight and controlled or loose and escapable.
- Gordon Ryan: In competition, the Peruvian Necktie setup is one of my favorite front headlock finishes because most people don’t see it coming and have limited defensive experience against it. The key to hitting this at high levels is making opponent think you’re going for an anaconda or darce, then switching to the Peruvian at the last second when they commit to defending the wrong attack. I use a really tight overhook and make them feel heavy pressure like an anaconda is coming, then suddenly drop to my hip and thread the leg through before they can adjust. The timing window is small - you need to be explosive when you see them stuck in turtle with forward weight. Most people try to set this up too slowly and methodically, but in a real match, you have maybe two seconds to complete the entry before they counter. I also use this as a backup when my darce grip isn’t quite deep enough - instead of forcing a suboptimal darce, I’ll switch to the Peruvian which requires less grip depth but more body positioning skill. Once you get good at reading when opponent is vulnerable to it, you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere in scrambles.
- Eddie Bravo: The Peruvian Necktie is straight-up one of the most innovative submissions to come out of the no-gi evolution, and it fits perfectly into the 10th Planet philosophy of using flexibility and unconventional body positioning to create submissions opponent doesn’t expect. What I love about this setup is how it completely inverts the traditional concept of top and bottom - you’re literally putting yourself underneath your opponent but maintaining total offensive control. It’s mind-bending for people who think in terms of conventional position hierarchy. The technique requires serious flexibility to thread your body underneath smoothly, which is why we emphasize stretching and mobility work so heavily in our system. When teaching this, I focus on making students comfortable with the inversion feeling - a lot of people freak out when they start going upside down, but you need to stay calm and trust your grips. The setup also works beautifully as part of a truck system entry. If they defend the truck, you can often catch the Peruvian as they try to roll away. I’ve developed some sick variations where you can fake the electric chair from lockdown and then transition to the Peruvian when they defend. It’s all about creating movement puzzles opponent can’t solve because they’ve never seen the positions before.