Last updated: June 17, 2026
Quick Definition
The Ezekiel choke is a grappling submission, originally a judo technique, in which a fighter loops one arm behind the opponent’s neck and uses the other hand, gripping either a gi sleeve or a bare forearm, to press the forearm across the throat and cut off blood or air.
What is the Ezekiel choke?
The defining feature of the Ezekiel is that it attacks from the front. The person applying it faces the opponent, slides one arm behind their head, then drives the blade of the opposite forearm across the throat. In a gi, the attacker threads a hand into their own sleeve and uses the fabric like a rope to tighten the squeeze. Without a gi, the same job falls to a clenched fist and the bony edge of the wrist.
It works mainly as a blood choke, compressing the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck so that blood stops reaching the brain. Depending on hand placement and the direction of force, it can also press on the windpipe and act partly as an air choke. Either way, a tight Ezekiel ends fights in seconds.
What sets it apart from most submissions is where it can be thrown. A fighter can land it from mount, from inside the opponent’s closed guard, from half guard, even while flat on their back. Few chokes can be finished from underneath someone, and that is a large part of why the move surprises people who run into the term watching a fight.
The Japanese name for the technique, sode guruma jime, translates roughly to “sleeve wheel choke,” a nod to the gripping action that powers it.
Where the Ezekiel choke comes from
The choke is named after Ezequiel Paraguassu, a Brazilian judoka who picked it up long before it had that name. While preparing for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Paraguassu cross-trained at Carlson Gracie’s jiu-jitsu academy in Rio de Janeiro and kept getting stuck inside his training partners’ closed guards. Rather than fight to pass, he went after their necks with the judo choke he already knew, and it worked on everyone. Local grapplers started calling it the “Ezekiel,” and the name stuck. In judo, the same move had existed for decades as sode guruma jime.
Gi vs no-gi Ezekiel
The gi version is the easier of the two. By feeding four fingers deep into the opposite sleeve, a grappler turns the jacket into part of the choke, and the fabric does much of the work of trapping the neck.
Strip the gi away, and the mechanics stay the same, but the surface changes. The attacker makes a fist and uses the edge of the wrist and forearm as the choking blade. That bare-arm version is harder to finish because a fist conforms to the neck far less neatly than a fold of cloth. It also explains why the choke shows up so rarely in the cage.
Ezekiel choke vs rear-naked choke
These two get mixed up because both are blood chokes that wrap an arm around the neck. The difference is the angle. A rear-naked choke is applied from behind, usually with back control, while the attacker is looking at the back of the opponent’s head. The Ezekiel is applied from the front, with the two fighters facing each other. One useful mental picture, borrowed from coaches at Evolve MMA, is that a no-gi Ezekiel looks like a rear-naked choke thrown while facing the opponent.
| Feature | Ezekiel choke | Rear-naked choke |
| Angle of attack | From the front, facing the opponent | From behind, with back control |
| Common positions | Mount, closed guard, half guard | Back mount |
| Grip | Own gi sleeve or a clenched fist | Bicep and back of own head, no gi needed |
| Choke type | Mostly blood, sometimes air | Blood choke |
| How often in MMA | Rare | Among the most common finishes |
Why the Ezekiel choke is rare in MMA
Most MMA is fought without a gi. That alone removes the sleeve that makes the choke straightforward and leaves only the tougher fist version. The position also demands tight, face-to-face control, and it arrives at the exact moment an opponent is bracing for more familiar threats like an armbar or a cross-face. In an elite fight, a single misstep can lose a round. Few competitors will gamble energy on a low-percentage submission they may never finish.
That rarity is exactly why the term carries weight. Only three fighters have ever won a UFC bout with an Ezekiel choke. Remco Pardoel landed an early version at UFC 2 in 1994, though it was never officially called an Ezekiel and is still debated. Aleksei Oleinik, the heavyweight nicknamed “The Boa Constrictor,” recorded the first officially recognized one against Viktor Pesta at UFC Fight Night 103 in January 2017, then did it again against Junior Albini in May 2018. Alexander Volkov became the third, tapping Tai Tuivasa from mount at UFC 293 in September 2023. Oleinik also holds the all-time MMA record for the move, with fourteen career Ezekiel finishes according to Wikipedia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ezekiel choke a blood choke or an air choke?
It is mainly a blood choke that compresses the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck. Depending on where the forearm sits, it can also squeeze the windpipe and work partly as an air choke.
Can you do an Ezekiel choke without a gi?
Yes. The no-gi version swaps the sleeve grip for a clenched fist, using the edge of the wrist and forearm as the choking surface. It is harder to finish than the gi version, but fully legal and functional.
Why is it called the Ezekiel choke?
It is named after Ezequiel Paraguassu, a Brazilian judoka who used it to submit jiu-jitsu players while training for the 1988 Olympics. In judo, the technique is known as sode guruma jime.
Has anyone won a UFC fight with an Ezekiel choke?
Three fighters have. Aleksei Oleinik did it twice, against Viktor Pesta in 2017 and Junior Albini in 2018, and Alexander Volkov submitted Tai Tuivasa with one at UFC 293 in 2023. An early Remco Pardoel finish at UFC 2 is sometimes counted but remains disputed.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Aleksei Oleinik.” Accessed June 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksei_Oleinik - MMA Junkie / Yahoo Sports. “UFC 293 results: Alexander Volkov taps Tai Tuivasa with sneaky Ezekiel choke.” Accessed June 2026.
https://sports.yahoo.com/ufc-293-results-alexander-volkov-035512382.html - theScore. “Volkov taps Tuivasa with rare Ezekiel choke in heavyweight bout.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.thescore.com/mma/news/2710312 - Evolve MMA. “BJJ 101: Ezekiel Choke.” Accessed June 2026.
https://evolve-mma.com/blog/bjj-101-ezekiel-choke/ - Sportskeeda. “What is the Ezekiel Choke, and which UFC fighters have used it?” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-what-ezekiel-choke-ufc-fighters-used-it - Jiu Jitsu Legacy. “Ezekiel Choke Explained.” Accessed June 2026.
https://jiujitsulegacy.com/bjj-lifestyle/ezekiel-choke-explained/
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