Last updated: June 3, 2026
Quick Definition
A near side armbar is an armbar that attacks the opponent’s near arm, the arm closest to the attacker’s hips, usually from side control. It is the counterpart to the far side armbar, which attacks the arm farther away.
What is a near side armbar?
In grappling, “near” and “far” describe which of the opponent’s two arms is under attack. When a fighter holds side control, one of the opponent’s arms sits closest to the attacker’s hips, and the other sits farther away. The near side armbar goes after that closer arm.
Picture a fighter pinning an opponent from the right side of their body. The opponent’s right arm is the near arm, and the left arm is the far arm. As Stephan Kesting of Grapplearts points out, plenty of grapplers forget the armbar works on the near arm too, since the far arm gets most of the attention.
The term matters because the two versions feel like different techniques even though both finish the same way, by hyperextending the elbow. A near side armbar tends to be quicker and more opportunistic, since it preys on the framing arm an opponent uses to push the top fighter away. The far side version is slower and more deliberate. Knowing which arm is in play helps a viewer follow what a commentator means when they call a finish “near side” or “far side.”
How the near side armbar works
The opening usually appears when the bottom fighter frames against the top, one hand on the hip and one under the neck. That hand on the hip is the near arm, and it sits exposed. Kesting describes the top fighter leaning forward and rising onto the knees to create a gap under the near arm, then bringing one leg into the armpit and swinging the other over the head to trap and straighten the arm.
What sets this version apart is the angle. The attacker does not have to travel across the body to reach the far arm, because the target is already right there by the hips. Speed is the payoff. The trade-off is that an opponent can sometimes rip the arm free if the top fighter stalls or sits back too early and surrenders space.
For a viewer, the tell is where the finish happens. A fighter who attacks the arm on the same side their hips point toward, without spinning around the head to the opposite side, is hunting the near arm.
Near side vs far side armbar
Most people searching this term ran into it next to “far side armbar” and want to know the difference. The two share a name and a finishing position, but they part ways on setup and risk.
| Near side armbar | Far side armbar | |
|---|---|---|
| Arm attacked | Closest to the attacker’s hips | Farther from the attacker’s hips |
| Typical setup | Preys on the opponent’s framing arm | Often built off a Kimura grip or Americana fake |
| Speed | Fast, opportunistic | Slower, methodical |
| Control | Less margin if the attacker stalls | More control, with shoulder pins along the way |
| Reputation | Underused, situational | Widely taught as the higher-percentage attack |
Coaches generally rate the far side armbar as the more reliable option from side control. BJJ black belt Lachlan Giles, in a breakdown hosted by BJJ Fanatics, calls it one of the most common attacks from top side control. BJJ World adds that the far side lets the attacker shuffle between pinning each shoulder until the finish is locked in. The near arm version gives up that control to gain speed.
Where the near side armbar shows up in MMA
The armbar, known formally as juji gatame, ranks among the most common submissions in mixed martial arts, and it carries over from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, with roots in judo and sambo, as Submission Searcher notes. In the cage, side control is a frequent landing spot after a takedown or a guard pass, which is exactly where near and far arm attacks live.
Inside MMA, the near side armbar turns up less often than its far side cousin, partly because strikes change the math. A fighter on top in side control can punch, and the bottom fighter’s framing arm, the same arm a near side armbar targets, ends up busy defending strikes and position at once. When that arm overcommits to framing, the gap opens.
A near side finish in the cage tends to arrive fast, off a scramble or a panicked reaction, rather than from a slow grinding pin. That burst of speed is the whole reason a fighter picks the near arm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the near side or far side armbar better?
Neither wins outright. The far side armbar is usually taught as the higher-percentage, more controlled option from side control, while the near side armbar is faster and shines as an opportunistic attack when the opponent’s near arm hangs exposed.
Which arm is the “near” arm?
The near arm is the one closest to the attacker’s hips while they hold side control. If a fighter is on the opponent’s right side, the opponent’s right arm is the near arm.
Can you hit a near side armbar in MMA?
Yes. It works in MMA the way it works in pure grappling, though it shows up less than the far side version. Strikes can both create the opening and complicate the finish.
What is the most common armbar defense?
Two come up most: stacking, where the defender drives weight forward to ease pressure on the elbow, and the hitchhiker escape, where they rotate the thumb and roll free, according to Submission Searcher.
Sources
- Kesting, Stephan. “Near and Far Arm Armbar Attacks from Side Control.” Grapplearts. Accessed June 2026.
- “How To Fix Your Armbar From Side Control.” BJJ World. Accessed June 2026.
- “Far Side Arm Bar from Side Control with Lachlan Giles.” BJJ Fanatics. Accessed June 2026.
- “Arm Bars in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and the Armbar in MMA.” Submission Searcher. Accessed June 2026.
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