Bottom side control is almost entirely a defensive position in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, but there are actually a handful of sneaky submissions available. None of them are attacks that you see all that often at the highest level, generally because of where they’re coming from. Because side control is a strong pinning position from the top with a ton of submission options, it’s never a good place to be. Most competitors will then focus much more of their time on guard retention and turtling to wrestle up or recover instead, especially under rulesets with points where conceding side control is conceding points.
5 Sneaky Submissions From Bottom Side Control
It’s worth saying that spending a huge amount of time developing a dangerous game from inferior positions may not be the best use of time. Especially for newer grapplers, the focus should always be on improving escapes and early prevention rather than attacks. That being said, there are a handful of elite grapplers who do make good use of submissions from bottom side control and have even beaten top opposition this way. This proves that they aren’t just tricks that work at the lower levels only and could be well worth at least having some competency in so that you have other options.
Americana
The Americana is one of the classic Jiu-Jitsu techniques and in fact, for many coaches it will be a staple of a beginners or fundamentals class. It’s fairly simple to understand and apply compared to other submissions but it’s also nowhere near as prevalent at the highest level, because the defenses are also fairly simple. The Americana from bottom side control is also not seen very often, but it provides tremendous breaking pressure when locked up. It’s generally done as a counter to an opponent’s grip and can take them by surprise if acted on quickly. The below demonstration of it comes from Kent Peters:
Buggy Choke
The buggy choke is one of the newest submissions in the sport, experiencing a massive rise in popularity over the last few years. Although originally derided as a gimmick technique by many experienced grapplers, it’s since been used in the final of ADCC Trials. It’s not all that difficult to stop if someone sees it coming early enough, but it offers good control so that the choke can be tightened gradually. It also has the added benefit that many of the common defensive reactions require the person on top to give up space for the bottom player to move. Buggy choke master Rene Sousa breaks it down and shares some helpful tips here:
Triangle Choke
The triangle choke is one of the most common submissions in the sport, even moreso when factoring in the number of armbars and other armlocks that are done from there. This is one of the more reliable submissions to attempt from bottom side control too, and that’s reflected in the fact that they are seen occasionally at the highest level. Just like the regular triangle choke, it also offers the ability to attack the arm when you’re unable to finish the choke itself. BJJ legend Braulio Estima shares how he sets up the triangle choke from bottom side control below:
Baseball Bat Choke
The baseball bat choke is an excellent gi choke that can be done from a wide range of different positions, and it’s a common trap as well. The trap involves setting your grips for the choke as the opponent passes, and turning away to finish it quickly. It’s also often known to put people to sleep often because it forces you to turn away, and inexperienced grapplers can see this as an opportunity to take the back if they ignore the choke. It’s done from bottom side control in an identical fashion, it’s just slightly more difficult to set the grips you need. Kent Peters demonstrates the baseball bat choke below:
D’arce Choke
This particular set up for the D’arce choke is actually one of the most common submissions that start in bottom side control, but the finish requires you to move out of that position fully. Just like the other head and arm chokes in this list, the buggy choke and the triangle choke, it also offers excellent control over an opponent and can be used to escape the position even if the finish isn’t there. This is one of the more difficult to pull off because it requires an explosive movement, but also one of the most effective when the timing is right. ATOS founder Andre Galvao shares his take on this set up for the D’arce choke here:
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