Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) has influenced the infrastructure of modern Mixed Martial Arts. The message is simple, and yet incredibly deep — leverage, technique, and timing are what makes one smaller and weaker able to take command. Submissions are BJJ's heart. They allow defensive movement to become offensive, and provide control in chaos. For someone who wishes to be successful in pure grappling -- or thrown in MMA cage -- every practitioner must have an understanding of important submissions, for the supports and experiences will lay the groundwork for learning to control any human movement, and ultimately win the match. Let's discuss the important submissions every BJJ athlete (and MMA fighter) must know in order to take the outrank over every opponent on the mats or in the cage.
The Rear Naked Choke
(RNC): The Ultimate Finisher in a Fight
No submission epitomizes the effectiveness of BJJ as much as the rear naked choke (RNC). Performed when a practitioner is on the opponent's back, the choke submission encircles the carotid arteries restricting blood flow to the brain, resulting in a quick tap or loss of consciousness. The RNC is powerful due to its simplicity — the submission can be done in gi or no-gi, no grip, just control. The RNC is also an ultra-successful finish in MMA, having been used by legends like Georges St-Pierre, Demian Maia, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Once a fighter gets the back with hooks and chest-to-back pressure, the fight is practically over. The RNC teaches control, patience, and precision — the values of BJJ itself.
The Armbar: Leveraging
Control
The Armbar (Juji
Gatame) is a classic submission that brilliantly exemplifies the BJJ principle
of leverage. It involves isolating an opponent's arm and hyperextending the
elbow joint to force a much larger opponent to ultimately submit to a much
smaller person. The key to the armbar is controlling the wrist, squeezing the
knees, and applying gradual hip pressure. The armbar can be done in several
positions; guard, mount, side control, or during scramble situations. Fighters
like Ronda Rousey built their entire careers on executing flawless armbars. In
MMA, the speed and setup is the game, you can literally change a fight in
seconds with a timed armbar.
The Triangle Choke:
Weaponizing the Guard
The Triangle Choke (Sankaku Jime) is one of the most classic and versatile submissions in BJJ, this submission shows that being on your back is still a dominant position (sort of). It involves trapping one arm and the neck between your legs to form a triangle shape to compress the carotid arteries. Triangle can be used as an offensive or defensive submission, and punishes an opponent who tries to strike or posture carelessly while in the guard. Fighters like Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, have scored some of the most spectacular victories with a triangle submission. The triangle choke embodies the BJJ spirit and tradition.
The Kimura Lock: The
Shoulder Destroyer
The Kimura Lock is a
submission and a control method. The concept is to move the opponent's arm into
a position behind their back, isolating their shoulder joint with rotational
torque. The beauty of the Kimura is its versatility; it can be used to apply a
submission from guard, side control or even standing clinches. The Kimura is a
submission but it also is a strong position to advance your position,
transition into a sweep or back-take. In MMA, you can find Mirko Cro Cop and
Frank Mir finishing their opponents or keeping them in a corner using the
Kimura. The ability to submit and control your opponent makes it a submission
that everyone learning BJJ should know.
The Guillotine Choke: A
Tool Against Takedowns
The Guillotine Choke is one of the most recognized and accessible submissions in BJJ and MMA. It attacks the neck in takedown attempts or scrambles, a great counter to wrestlers who shoot without appropriate head position. The Guillotine can be performed standing, from guard, or even in half guard. The variations of guillotines: arm-in, high-elbow, and Marcelotine, make it friendly to different body types and situations. Fighters like Dustin Poirier and Brian Ortega have made the guillotine exceedingly dangerous. The great thing about the Guillotine is its exploitable simplicity — someone can have the best posture and still be submitted with just a slight error of posture.
The Arm Triangle Choke:
Pressure and Control
The Arm Triangle Choke is the combination of positional control and blood flow restriction pressure. Performed mostly from the mount or side control position, the attacker uses their own arm and the opponent’s trapped arm to compress both sides of the neck. The key is the shoulder pressure and head positioning — if you are lax in your shoulder pressure, the opponent escapes, and if you are too much pressure, the opponent stops and taps or loses consciousness. It's a favorite submission of wrestlers since Khabib Nurmagomedov, Luke Rockhold, and others have transitioned to grapplers in MMA.
The Heel Hook: The New
Wave of Leg Locks
The Heel Hook has changed the landscape of modern grappling. Previously deemed unsuitable for beginners due to their dangers, this now stands as a basic submission for serious practitioners. The mechanic targets the ligaments of the knee with a twist on the heel producing rotational force that an individual cannot brace the knee against. In MMA, there is benefit to it being able to end a fight quickly and from times where it is not obvious that an athlete will go for the leg. Athletes such as Ryan Hall and Charles Oliveira have demonstrated that leg locks are not option anymore, they are fight ending positions. That said, heel hooks require an understanding of mechanics and respect, as there is little margin for error and injury potential is high.
The Americana: Old
School Power from the Top
The Americana (Keylock) is one of the first submissions taught to beginners in BJJ, but as it is still effective for all levels of grappler. The Americana is done from either side control or mount, the Americana involves bending the arm in an "L" shape while pinning their arm to the mat and encompasses the shoulder. The Americana works beautifully in conjunction with hard chest pressure and controlled transitions, and in MMA it is a refined finish when an opponent is already gassed and/or anchored down. The Americana is not flashy, but it is also reliable and safe, it will get the job done.
The Value of Positional
Awareness Prior to Attempting a Submission
Every BJJ coach will cite an important rule of thumb: position before submission. A submission is only as good as the position it is controlled from, and without the proper base, proper posture and proper transition, you can make the perfect technique and come up empty. Often, fighters who rush a submission will ultimately lose position or surrender a reversal. When you learn to control, through weight distribution, hip pressure and grip strategy, you will start to notice that submissions are inevitable rather than hopeful. The best fighters in MMA do not force submissions; they create an environment where their opponent has no recourse whatsoever.
The Art of Mastering
Submissions
Submissions are not
just a series of techniques: they are a demonstration of intelligence,
patience, and a firm grasp of the art of BJJ. Whether it is the
rear-naked-choke or the heel hook, each submission has individual lesson to
teach you about control, leverage, and the need for timing. In MMA, submissions
turn a fighter from brawler to tactician. Each practitioner of BJJ should
aspire to understand how to apply a submission, but also when to attempt them,
and why they work in certain situations. Mastering these submissions means you
never truly feel helpless — whether in a casual roll in the gym or fighting
under the bright lights of the octagon. Ultimately, BJJ is not about being a
tough wrestler and trying to outmuscle your way to success. It’s about becoming
a submission artist.