Submission: Rear Naked Choke (Mata Leão)

The key aspects of the Rear Naked Choke

1. Grips and Hand Positioning: The Rear Naked Choke relies on securing a firm grip around the opponent’s neck, with your bicep on one side of their neck and your forearm on the other. Your non-choking hand should grip your opposite bicep, while the choking hand’s palm should be placed on the back of the opponent’s head. The key to the RNC is to maintain a strong and stable grip, positioning your arms snugly against the opponent’s carotid arteries.
2. Control and Connection: Maintaining control of your opponent’s posture and position is crucial when setting up the Rear Naked Choke. Establishing and maintaining back control, utilizing hooks and a seatbelt grip, is essential for preventing your opponent from escaping the position. Maintain chest-to-back connection, keeping the pressure on your opponent to limit their movements.
3. Choke Mechanics: The mechanics of the Rear Naked Choke involve using the arms to constrict the carotid arteries on both sides of the opponent’s neck. To finish the choke, squeeze your elbows together, flex your bicep, and push the opponent’s head forward with your palm. The key to a successful RNC is to maintain constant pressure, ensuring that your opponent cannot alleviate the choke by creating space.
4. Setups and Transitions: The Rear Naked Choke can be set up from various back control scenarios. Developing a fluid and adaptable approach to setting up the choke is essential. Common setups include threatening with a collar choke to expose the neck, transitioning from a short choke or arm-triangle, or taking advantage of an opponent’s failed escape attempt.
5. Defense and Counters: As with any submission, it’s important to be aware of your opponent’s potential defenses and counters. Common defenses against the Rear Naked Choke include tucking the chin, hand fighting, and attempting to escape back control. Developing a deep understanding of the choke mechanics and common defenses will enable you to anticipate and counter these defenses, leading to higher submission success rates.

In summary, the Rear Naked Choke is a highly effective submission that targets the opponent’s neck. By understanding and applying the principles of grip and hand positioning, control and connection, choke mechanics, setups and transitions, and defense and counters, you can develop a formidable Rear Naked Choke game that will challenge your opponents and lead to more submission victories. Always remember to approach the Rear Naked Choke with a systematic and methodical mindset, constantly refining your technique and exploring new variations and setups.