Baseball Bat Choke
Gi collar choke using opposing lapel grips like holding a bat — common from side control, knee-on-belly, and turtling opponents.
collar choke
Overview
The baseball bat choke uses two opposing collar grips — palms facing each other like gripping a bat — then turns the wrists and walks the body to close the strangulation. It thrives when the opponent’s posture is broken from top side positions or turtle.
#Setup
- Feed one hand deep in the far collar with the palm facing you.
- Place the second hand on the near collar with the opposite palm orientation.
- Align wrists so the lapels form a tightening channel around the neck.
#Execution
- Turn both wrists as you walk your body toward their head or around the north-south line.
- Keep elbows heavy and chest pressure connected so they cannot posture into the grips.
- Expand the chest and rotate the “bat” to finish the blood choke.
#Finishing
- If they turn turtle, follow the grips and finish from top or knee-on-belly angles.
- Switch to a loop choke or cross-collar series when one grip depth fails.
- Release on tap — collar pressure can finish without a dramatic squeeze.
⚠️
Safety Note
Poor grip depth turns this into a neck crank. Prioritize collar feeds behind the neck and stop immediately on tap.
Primary Targets
- Neck
Key Concepts
- Opposing palm orientations create the bat grip.
- Walking your body finishes more than arm strength.
- Top positions and turtle make the grips easiest to set.
Primary Entries
- Side control when they turn into you and expose collars.
- Knee-on-belly as they frame and leave lapels loose.
- Turtle top when you can feed both collars before they roll.
Defenses & Counters
- Expect two-on-one peels on the first collar — retake depth before adding the second grip.
- Watch for them flattening and hiding the chin; adjust angle rather than ripping wrists.
- If they explode to their knees, follow or abandon to a stable pin.
Follow-Ups
- Loop choke when one collar is deep and the head drops.
- Cross-collar choke from mount if they give up the front.
- Back take when they turn away from the bat grips.
Training Drills
- Collar-feed reps from side control to a light finish
- Knee-on-belly baseball entries with cooperative turning
- Turtle top grip-fighting rounds into bat-choke setups
Related Techniques
Deepen your study with complementary positions and attacks.
Summary
Think of the baseball bat choke as two opposing collar grips plus body walk. Feed depth, set the bat, rotate as you move toward the head, and finish cleanly — or transition when a grip goes shallow.