Collar Tie

Last updated: May 28, 2026

What is a collar tie?

In stand-up grappling, the collar tie controls an opponent from the front by gripping the back of the neck, the collar of a singlet, or the trapezius muscle just behind the neck. Wikipedia classifies it as a clinch hold in the wrestling family, and the same grip appears across freestyle, folkstyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling, as well as MMA, BJJ, and Muay Thai.

The point of a collar tie is leverage on the head. Where the head goes, the body follows, so a grappler who controls posture controls range, balance, and the available offence for both fighters. From a clean collar tie, the controlling grappler can pull an opponent forward into a snap down, push them upright to set up a leg attack, or hold them in place long enough to land knees, elbows, or short punches.

Collar ties show up at every level of grappling, from a first wrestling practice to a UFC main event. They are part of what coaches call hand fighting, the constant stand-up battle for grip and posture that precedes most takedowns and clinch strikes.

How the collar tie works

The collar tie works because the head is heavy and the neck is a long lever. A grappler with one hand cupped behind the opponent’s neck can pull the head down to break posture, push it up to expose the body, or steer it side to side to off-balance the opponent.

A typical collar tie connects the palm or fingers to the back of the neck, with the forearm pressing into the opponent’s chest or shoulder for a frame. The free hand is usually fighting for wrist, bicep, or elbow control, which is what gives the position offensive value. A collar tie on its own is mostly a holding grip. Paired with a second point of contact, it becomes a launching point for takedowns and strikes.

When both grapplers have a collar tie on each other at the same height, the position is sometimes called an ear-to-ear collar tie. According to Fanatic Wrestling, that position is generally considered neutral, because neither wrestler has a real positional advantage to attack from.

Single collar tie vs double collar tie

Collar ties come in two forms, defined by how many hands are on the opponent’s neck.

Variation	Grip	Common uses	Found in
Single collar tie	One hand behind the neck; free hand fights for wrist, bicep, or elbow	Snap downs, single legs, duck unders, dirty boxing	Wrestling, MMA, BJJ
Double collar tie	Both hands behind the neck, forearms squeezed against the collarbones	Knees up the middle, posture breaks, off-balancing	Muay Thai, MMA, wrestling

A single collar tie is the more common version in freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. It leaves one hand free to attack the legs, snap the head down, or set up a duck under, which makes it more flexible as a takedown setup than the double version.

The double collar tie locks both hands behind the neck and pinches the forearms against the opponent’s collarbones. It is the same position Muay Thai calls the plum, and Global Martial Arts University describes it as a grip that lets a fighter pull the opponent into knees and control their posture for extended periods. Because both hands are committed, the double collar tie is more about damage and posture control than takedown entries.

How the collar tie relates to other clinches

Collar ties are often confused with other stand-up grappling positions, especially by fans new to MMA. The grip looks like a generic “grab the neck” hold, but each position has a different mechanical role.

Position	Where the hand or arm goes	Primary purpose
Collar tie	Hand behind the opponent’s neck or trapezius	Control the head and posture
Underhook	Arm threaded under the opponent’s armpit	Control the body, set up trips and back exposure
Overhook	Arm hooked over the opponent’s arm	Defend against underhooks, set up throws
Muay Thai plum	Both hands behind the neck, forearms in tight	Posture break, knee strikes
Collar-and-elbow	Both fighters with a collar tie, plus elbow control	Neutral opening position; the traditional opener in pro wrestling

The most common mix-up is between a collar tie and an underhook. A collar tie controls the head from above the opponent’s arm; an underhook controls the body from below the arm. They are different tools for different jobs, and high-level grapplers chain between them constantly.

The other common point of confusion is the Muay Thai plum. The plum is a double collar tie, so the grip is the same, but the application is different. Muay Thai fighters use it primarily to set up knees and elbows. MMA and wrestlers use it in shorter bursts as a posture breaker before switching to takedowns or single-hand control.

Common misconceptions

A few misunderstandings come up repeatedly around the collar tie.

The first is that the collar tie is automatically a dominant position. It is not. As Movement Martials notes, an opponent with good posture can frame off the chest, throw uppercuts through the gap, or counter with their own grip. A collar tie has to be active to be useful. A passive collar tie is closer to a place to rest than a place to attack from.

The second is that the wrestling collar tie and the construction term “collar tie” are related. They are not. In carpentry, a collar tie is a horizontal beam connecting two opposing rafters near the roof’s peak. The two terms share a name and nothing else.

The third is that the collar tie was a 1980s and 1990s wrestling relic that modern sport has phased out. The grip is less central than it used to be in elite freestyle wrestling, but it remains a core tool across MMA and BJJ and is built into Muay Thai’s clinch system. Fighters like Charles Oliveira and Matt Brown have built large portions of their offensive game around it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a collar tie used for?

A collar tie controls an opponent’s head, which in turn controls their posture, balance, and movement. From there, a grappler can set up takedowns, knee strikes, elbows, or short punches.

Is a collar tie the same as the Muay Thai clinch?

A double collar tie is the same grip as the Muay Thai plum. A single collar tie is a different position, with only one hand on the neck and the other free to fight for grips or attack the legs.

What is the difference between a collar tie and an underhook?

A collar tie controls the head from above the opponent’s arm. An underhook controls the body from below the arm. They serve different purposes and grapplers use them together or interchange them.

Why is an ear-to-ear collar tie considered a weak position?

When both grapplers have the same single collar tie at the same height, neither has a positional advantage. It is generally treated as a neutral position rather than an attacking one.

Is the collar tie still used in modern wrestling?

Yes. The grip is less dominant in elite freestyle wrestling than it was in earlier eras, but it remains a core position in folkstyle wrestling and across other combat sports, with heavy use in MMA and BJJ as well as Muay Thai clinch work.

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Sources

1. Wikipedia. “Collar tie.” Accessed 28 May 2026.
2. Wikipedia. “Underhook.” Accessed 28 May 2026.
3. Wikipedia. “Collar-and-elbow position.” Accessed 28 May 2026.
4. Wikipedia. “Overhook.” Accessed 28 May 2026.
5. Movement Martials. “Collar Ties in MMA.” January 28, 2024.
6. BlackBeltWhiteHat.com. “Wrestling Clinch / neck tie / collar tie.” April 2022.
7. Dick’s Sporting Goods Pro Tips, Kyle Borshoff. “Wrestling Techniques: Collar Tie Contact.”
8. Global Martial Arts University. “Muay Thai Clinching: The Plum.” August 28, 2023.
9. Daniel, Dariel W. (2013). Developing Wrestling Champions. AuthorHouse.
10. Hill, Robert (2010). World of Martial Arts!. Lulu Enterprises.

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