North-South Choke
Blood choke from north-south that wraps the neck with your armpit and shoulder — a high-percentage finish when side control turns into a scramble toward the head.
blood choke
Overview
The north-south choke finishes by trapping the opponent’s neck in your armpit while your body faces opposite theirs. It often appears when they turn into side control or when you circle to north-south and catch their head under your chest.
#Setup
- From side control or north-south, clear their near arm so the neck is exposed under your chest.
- Drop your armpit over the neck line with your shoulder heavy on the far side of their head.
- Clasp hands or grip your own bicep/shoulder line to close the pressure loop.
#Execution
- Sprawl hips back and drop chest weight through the neck.
- Walk slightly toward the head to remove slack without giving up the wrap.
- Squeeze the armpit closed while keeping their near shoulder pinned.
#Finishing
- Keep the trapped arm from framing your hip — pin it or ride past it.
- If they roll, follow the north-south line rather than releasing early.
- Release on tap; this choke can finish with less drama than a guillotine squeeze.
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Safety Note
North-south chokes can crank the neck if the armpit is shallow. Prioritize a clean neck wrap and chest pressure, and release immediately on tap.
Primary Targets
- Neck
- Carotid arteries
Key Concepts
- Armpit on the neck, not cheek on the jaw.
- Hip sprawl creates the finish more than arm strength.
- Clear the near-side frame before you celebrate the wrap.
Primary Entries
- Side control when they turn in and leave the near arm low.
- Knee-on-belly to north-south transitions.
- Scrambles where their head slides under your chest facing opposite.
Defenses & Counters
- Expect early hand frames on your hips — clear or ride past them before squeezing.
- Watch for them tucking the chin and turning to their knees; follow or switch to front headlock.
- If the wrap is shallow, abandon rather than cranking the jaw.
Follow-Ups
- Arm triangle if the near arm stays trapped across their neck.
- Guillotine when they sit up into you from the scramble.
- Mount or side control reset if the choke fails but top position remains.
Training Drills
- Side-control to north-south circling reps
- Armpit-wrap entries to a light tap with cooperative partners
- Frame-clearing rounds before allowing the squeeze
Related Techniques
Deepen your study with complementary positions and attacks.
Summary
North-south choke is an armpit-and-sprawl problem. Clear the near arm, drop the armpit over the neck, walk hips back, and finish with chest pressure — or reset top control when the wrap stays shallow.