Last updated: June 11, 2026
Quick Definition
The Thai plum clinch is a position where a fighter locks both hands behind an opponent’s head, with the elbows pinched in front of the collarbones, to pull the head down and land knee strikes. It is also known as the double collar tie.
What is the Thai plum clinch?
The Thai plum clinch is the signature head-control position of Muay Thai. One fighter wraps both arms over the opponent’s shoulders, stacks the hands on the back of the opponent’s head, and squeezes the elbows together so the forearms press against the collarbones. Pulling the head down and forward breaks the opponent’s posture.
Wrestlers call the same grip a double collar tie. MMA commentators usually shorten it to the Thai clinch or simply the plum, and many gyms say full plum to separate it from the one-armed version, the half plum.
Head control decides almost everything at close range, which is why this position matters. A fighter whose head is being dragged down cannot punch with any power and cannot see the knees coming up the middle. The plum has produced some of the most one-sided finishes in both Muay Thai and the UFC.
How the plum works
Picture two fighters chest to chest. The one securing the plum gets both arms inside the opponent’s arms, places the hands on the back or crown of the head (not the neck), and clamps the elbows toward each other. UFC veteran Kyle Bochniak stresses the same detail in his Dynamic Striking clinch series: hands high on the skull, one palm over the other.
That inside position is the whole battle. Whoever gets their arms inside controls the head, and the forearm frame across the collarbones stops the opponent from driving forward.
Once the grip is set, the controlling fighter steers. Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu, who has fought over 250 times in Thailand, describes clinch control with the old wrestling logic that where the head goes, the body goes. Pull the head down, and a knee meets it; twist the head sideways, and the opponent stumbles into a sweep or eats an elbow on the break.
Thai plum vs other clinch positions
People often treat “Muay Thai clinch” and “plum” as the same thing. They are not. The clinch is the entire close-range grappling phase, while the plum is one position inside it. Muay Thai Citizen notes that the plum is the most famous clinch position, but far from the most common in real fights, and it rarely lasts long when it does appear.
| Position | Grip | What it does |
| Plum (double collar tie) | Both hands behind the head, elbows in | Breaks posture, opens knees up the middle |
| Single collar tie (half plum) | One hand behind the head, other arm controls the bicep | Knees and turns while keeping a hand free to defend |
| 50/50 | Each fighter holds one collar tie | Neutral position; both fight for inside control |
| Over-under | One arm over the shoulder, one under | Sweeps, trips, and takedown defense |
| Double underhooks | Both arms under the opponent’s arms, around the torso | Lifts the opponent’s posture and, in MMA, sets up takedowns |
Because one hand stays free in the half plum, many MMA fighters prefer it to the full version, trading some head control for better punch defense.
The plum in Muay Thai vs MMA
Rules decide how often the plum shows up. Muay Thai referees let an active clinch run, so fighters can work the position for long stretches, and a whole class of fighters called muay khao (knee fighters) builds a career on it. Petchboonchu FA Group, described by Muay Thai Citizen as the most decorated fighter in the sport’s history, won title after title with clinch knees. Boxing sits at the other extreme, where referees break a clinch within seconds.
MMA falls in between. The plum is legal, and knees from it are legal against a standing opponent, but holding it carries risks that do not exist in Muay Thai.
Anderson Silva supplied the most famous demonstration. At UFC 64 in October 2006, Silva trapped middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the plum and finished him with knees at 2:59 of the first round; ESPN’s fight statistics show Silva landed 31 of 36 significant strikes that night, including 23 of 24 to the body. The UFC 77 rematch ended the same way, a TKO by knees at 1:07 of round two.
Why don’t more fighters copy him? Committing both hands to the opponent’s head leaves the face exposed to short hooks and uppercuts in 4-ounce gloves, and a wrestler can change levels for a takedown while the grip is still forming. Silva’s success came from timing the plum against already-hurt opponents rather than chasing it from the opening bell.
Common misconceptions
The biggest one is that clinching is stalling. In Muay Thai, strikes and sweeps from the clinch score heavily with judges, and a dominant clinch round can outweigh anything that happened at kicking range.
Another concerns the grip. Beginners assume the hands wrap the neck, but the proper target is the back or crown of the head, where the pulling force controls the spine. A grip on the neck slips, and the opponent postures straight out of it.
The name itself confuses people too. “Plum” is an English-language label, not a Thai technical term, and the spelling drifts between plum and plumb depending on who is writing. Its exact origin is unclear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Thai plum the same as the double collar tie?
Yes. Double collar tie is the wrestling name for the grip, while plum and Thai clinch are the names used in Muay Thai and MMA circles.
What is a half plum?
A half plum, or single collar tie, uses one hand behind the opponent’s head while the other arm controls the bicep or wraps the opponent’s arm.
Is the plum legal in MMA?
Yes. Clinching and knees to a standing opponent are legal in MMA. Boxing is the exception among major combat sports, since referees there separate clinched fighters almost immediately.
Why is the plum risky in MMA?
Both hands are occupied holding the head, so the face is open to short punches, and the opponent can attempt a takedown while the grip is being set.
How do fighters escape the plum?
The usual answers are regaining upright posture or swimming the arms inside to strip the grip. Turning off into an underhook position also works.
Sources
- ESPN. “UFC 64: Unstoppable.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://www.espn.com/mma/fightcenter//id/400253761/league/ufc - ESPN. “UFC 77: Hostile Territory.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://www.espn.com/mma/fightcenter//id/400253284/league/ufc - Wikipedia. “Collar tie.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar_tie - Muay Thai Citizen. “The Muay Thai Clinch Inside And Out.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://www.muaythaicitizen.com/muay-thai-clinch/ - Evolve Daily. “The Ultimate Guide To The Muay Thai Clinch.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://evolve-mma.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-muay-thai-clinch/ - 8limbs.us (Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu). “Muay Thai Clinch Counters to the Over-Under Position and Double Underhooks.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://8limbsus.com/muay-thai-thailand/muay-thai-clinch-counters-position-double-underhooks - Dynamic Striking. “Muay Thai Plum Drill With Kyle Bochniak.” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://dynamicstriking.com/blogs/news/muay-thai-plum-drill-with-kyle-bochniak - Combat Museum. “What is the Muay Thai Plum? (Thai Clinch Explained).” Accessed June 12, 2026.
https://combatmuseum.com/what-is-the-muay-thai-plum-thai-clinch-explained/
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