Triangle Choke

Last updated: April 16, 2026

What is a triangle choke?

A triangle choke is a figure-four chokehold used in MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo. The attacker encircles the opponent’s neck and one arm with their legs, locking the ankle behind the opposite knee to form a triangular shape. It is a blood choke, meaning it restricts blood flow through the carotid arteries rather than blocking the airway.

The trapped arm plays a specific role. One of the opponent’s shoulders gets pressed against their own neck on one side, while the attacker’s thigh compresses the other side. This two-sided pressure is what makes the choke effective even against larger opponents, because the attacker’s legs are stronger than most people’s ability to resist them.

The technique is known as sankaku-jime in Japanese. It originated in kosen judo in the early 1900s and is most closely associated with Yaichibei Kanemitsu, whose student Masaru Hayakawa recorded the first documented use of the hold at a kosen judo tournament in Kobe, Japan, in November 1921, according to Wikipedia. The submission entered Brazilian jiu-jitsu decades later, with Rolls Gracie widely credited for popularizing it in the late 1970s and early 1980s after reportedly finding it in a judo book. It first appeared in MMA on March 11, 1994, when Jason DeLucia used a triangle to defeat Scott Baker at UFC 2.

How the triangle choke works

The triangle choke targets the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck. Getting into the position requires isolating one of the opponent’s arms so that it ends up trapped inside the leg wrap while the other arm stays outside. This “one arm in, one arm out” configuration is what separates a triangle choke from a simple headscissors.

Once the position is locked, the attacker’s thigh presses into one side of the opponent’s neck. The opponent’s own trapped shoulder does the work on the other side. Together, these two pressure points compress both carotid arteries at the same time, and the effect is fast. According to research cited by Wikipedia, a properly applied triangle choke takes an average of 9.5 seconds to cause unconsciousness.

Because it restricts blood flow rather than airflow, a triangle choke causes the opponent to lose consciousness rather than struggle to breathe. This distinction matters in competition: fighters caught in a deep triangle often have only seconds to escape or tap before going out.

Types of triangle choke

There are several recognized variations of the triangle choke. Each uses the same underlying principle of trapping the neck and one arm, but from a different position or angle.

Type	Japanese name	Position	Notes
Front triangle	Mae-sankaku-jime	From guard (bottom)	The most common version, roughly 90% of triangle attempts in competition (Grapplearts)
Rear triangle	Ura-sankaku-jime	From back control	Has become more common as grapplers developed systematic entries from the back
Side triangle	Yoko-sankaku-jime	From the side	More common in judo than BJJ, often used against a turtled opponent
Inverted triangle	Ushiro-sankaku-jime	While inverted	Toby Imada won 2009 Submission of the Year with this variation at Bellator 5 (Wikipedia)
Arm triangle	Kata-gatame	From mount or side control	Uses arms instead of legs to create the choking mechanism

The front triangle is the version most commonly seen in both BJJ competition and MMA. The arm triangle, while technically a separate submission family, uses the same choking principle: the opponent’s own shoulder is pressed against their neck.

Triangle choke vs arm triangle choke

The triangle choke and the arm triangle choke are related submissions that use the same underlying mechanism, but the tools and positions differ.

	Triangle choke	Arm triangle choke
Primary tool	Legs	Arms
Typical position	Bottom (guard)	Top (mount or side control)
Choking mechanism	Thigh + opponent’s shoulder compress carotid arteries	Bicep + opponent’s shoulder compress carotid arteries
UFC wins (all time)	89 (fight.tv)	110 (fight.tv)

The triangle choke is typically set up from the guard, where the attacker is on their back. The arm triangle is usually applied from mount or side control, making it a top-position weapon. Fighters who prefer to work from the bottom tend to favor the triangle, while those who build their game around top pressure lean toward the arm triangle.

The triangle choke in MMA

The triangle choke is one of the three most common choke submissions in MMA history, alongside the rear naked choke and the guillotine. According to ringsidereport.net, these three chokes combine for nearly 70% of all choke finishes in UFC competition. The triangle choke has accounted for 89 wins in the UFC, according to fight.tv.

Paul Craig holds the UFC record for the most triangle choke victories, with four wins by triangle over his career. Craig, a Scottish fighter who retired in September 2025, built his reputation on an aggressive guard game and a willingness to fight from his back, which is exactly where triangle chokes happen.

The triangle choke has become increasingly rare in modern MMA despite its historical success. According to a January 2026 report by Yahoo Sports, only 11 of 211 submission finishes across five major MMA promotions in 2025 came via triangle choke. The UFC itself saw just two triangle choke finishes in 495 fights that year: Ignacio Bahamondes over Jalin Turner and Joseph Morales over Alibi Idiris.

The decline comes down to position. Setting up a triangle choke almost always means being on the bottom, where the opponent can land strikes. As defensive grappling has improved across MMA, fewer fighters are willing to take that risk when safer submission options exist from dominant positions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a triangle choke a blood choke or air choke?

It is a blood choke. It compresses the carotid arteries to restrict blood flow to the brain, rather than blocking the airway.

How long does a triangle choke take to cause unconsciousness?

Research cited by Wikipedia found an average of 9.5 seconds from the moment the hold is properly applied.

Can a triangle choke be applied from mount?

Yes. While the guard (bottom position) is the most common setup, the triangle can also be locked from mount, side control, and back control.

Why are triangle chokes becoming rare in MMA?

The submission typically requires fighting from the bottom, which is a disadvantaged position in MMA due to ground strikes. Improved defensive grappling across the sport has also made it harder to isolate an arm and lock in the choke.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Triangle choke.” Accessed April 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Arm triangle choke.” Accessed April 2026.
3. Wikipedia. “Paul Craig (fighter).” Accessed April 2026.
4. Yahoo Sports. “Lost in the triangle: The disappearance of one of MMA’s basic submissions.” January 2026.
5. fight.tv. “Most Common Submissions in UFC: A Deep Dive According to UFC Data.” March 2025.
6. ringsidereport.net. “MMA Chokes Explained: The 10 Most Common Submissions.” February 2026.
7. Grapplearts. “The Five Types of Triangle Choke You Need to Know.” February 2021.
8. Evolve MMA. “The Triangle Choke In BJJ Explained.” February 2022.
9. JiuJitsu News. “The Triangle Choke: Complete BJJ Submission Guide.” December 2025.

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