Last updated: June 16, 2026
Quick Definition
A crucifix choke is a strangle finished from the crucifix position, where both of the opponent’s arms are trapped, leaving the neck open and almost impossible to defend.
What is a crucifix choke?
The crucifix choke is a neck strangle finished from the crucifix, a ground position in which the attacker controls both of the opponent’s arms at once. One arm gets pinned by the legs, the other by the arms or hands. With both arms tied up, the opponent has nothing left to block the choking arm, which is what makes the finish so reliable.
It helps to separate two things that often get used interchangeably. The crucifix is the position. The crucifix choke is one of several finishes available from it. People also attack arm locks and, in MMA, strikes from the same control, so “crucifix choke” refers specifically to the strangle, not the position itself.
The choke comes from Judo, where it is called jigoku jime, translated as “hell strangle,” according to Wikipedia’s entry on the crucifix position. Judoka have long used it to break down and finish opponents who turtle up. The version most associated with the name is a collar strangle, though the same control supports several other strangling grips.
It matters because the crucifix removes the one defence a choke usually has to beat: the hands. In most strangles, the defender can fight grips or peel the choking arm away. Here, both arms are gone, so the attacker can work at their own pace.
How the crucifix choke works
The control comes first. The attacker sits perpendicular behind or alongside the opponent, chest against their back, and isolates the arms on opposite sides of the body. Stephan Kesting of Grapplearts compares it to back mount, with one important difference: back mount pins the torso, while the crucifix ties up both arms and leaves them helpless.
Once both arms are dead, the free choking arm or the collar goes to the neck. A crucifix choke is usually a blood choke. It compresses the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck rather than the windpipe, cutting blood flow to the brain instead of air to the lungs. A clean blood choke can end a fight in seconds.
The opponent’s instinct is to roll out, and that rarely works. BJJ World describes an old wrestling idea, the pole and the tree: a smooth pole rolls easily, but a tree with branches sticking out does not. Trapping the arms turns the opponent into the tree, which is why escapes from a tight crucifix are so hard.
Crucifix choke vs. rear naked choke
Most people who search for the crucifix choke are trying to work out how it differs from the rear naked choke, since both attack the neck from behind. The difference is control and the choking surface.
| Crucifix choke | Rear naked choke | Why it matters | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm control | Both arms trapped (one by legs, one by arms) | Opponent’s arms are free | Decides how much defence is left |
| Attacker position | Perpendicular, off to the side | Directly behind, chest to back | Changes the angle of attack |
| Choking tool | Free arm or collar, often one-armed | Both arms around the throat | Affects squeezing power |
| Defence available | Almost none, hands are tied up | Hand-fighting and chin defence possible | Explains the crucifix’s reliability |
The trade-off is that the rear naked choke uses both of the attacker’s arms for a stronger squeeze, while the crucifix often chokes with a single arm but faces almost no defence. One buys power, the other buys a defenceless target.
Types of crucifix choke
The position supports several strangling grips depending on whether fighters wear a gi. BJJ World and Grapplearts, between them, describe the main families.
| Variation | Gi or no-gi | How it finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Collar strangle (jigoku jime) | Gi | The attacker feeds a hand into the collar and strangles using the lapel |
| One-armed short choke | No-gi | A rear-naked-style squeeze with the single free arm, since the range is too short for a full grip |
| Lapel choke | Gi | A freed lapel is wrapped around the neck and tightened |
| Paper cutter | Gi | The free arm cuts across the neck from the top of side control |
The collar strangle is the version that earned the jigoku jime name. The one-armed short choke is the most common no-gi and MMA option because the attacker only needs one arm free to apply it.
The crucifix choke in MMA
In MMA, the crucifix is better known as a control and striking position than as a finishing choke. With both arms pinned, the opponent cannot block punches or elbows, so many fighters take the ground-and-pound route rather than hunting the strangle. Fight Encyclopedia notes that the trapped-arm control makes the position nearly impossible to defend strikes from.
That does not mean the choke disappears in the cage. A fighter who prefers submissions can thread the free arm under the chin for a one-armed strangle while keeping the rest of the body locked down. The position is rare at the top level because isolating both arms against a resisting opponent takes timing and skill, but when it lands, it is hard to survive.
A note on the rules: the crucifix and its choke are sometimes assumed to be banned, and in most grappling and MMA rulesets, they are not. Some confusion comes from Judo, where the pinning element and certain leg entanglements have specific competition rules, which is a separate issue from the strangle itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the crucifix choke a blood choke or an air choke?
It is usually a blood choke. Most versions compress the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck rather than the windpipe, which is why a tight one can cause a quick tap or a stoppage.
Is the crucifix choke the same as the crucifix position?
No. The crucifix is the position that controls both arms. The crucifix choke is one of several finishes from it, alongside arm locks and, in MMA, strikes.
Where does the crucifix choke come from?
It traces back to Judo, where it is known as jigoku jime, or “hell strangle.” It is also used widely in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and no-gi grappling.
Why is the crucifix so hard to escape?
Both arms are trapped on opposite sides of the body, so the opponent cannot frame up or roll out cleanly. The trapped limbs work like branches that stop the body from turning.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Crucifix position.” Accessed June 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifix_position - BJJ World. “Quick Crucifix Choke Variations From Front And Back.” Accessed June 2026.
https://bjj-world.com/quick-crucifix-choke-variations-from-front-and-back/ - Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting). “The BJJ Crucifix Position and Your Best Submission Options From There.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.grapplearts.com/submissions-from-crucifix-position/ - Fight Encyclopedia. “Mounted Crucifix.” Accessed June 2026.
https://fightencyclopedia.com/techniques/position/top-position/mount/mounted-crucifix - Jiu Jitsu Legacy. “Crucifix Position in BJJ.” Accessed June 2026.
https://jiujitsulegacy.com/bjj-lifestyle/crucifix-position-in-bjj/
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