Lapel chokes are some of the cleanest, most efficient submissions you can secure when training jiu jitsu in the gi. The loop choke is one of the deadly subsets of those lapel chokes. The thing that sets the loop choke apart from other lapel chokes is the sneaky nature with which you are able to land it. The true success of the loop choke in that fact that the opponent actually things they are actually making progress, escaping or passing your guard and pow, lights out, the choke is cinched tightly.

During the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Tokyo, Alexandre Vieira secured a now legendary loop choke that would eventually be chosen as the top submission for 2017 by FloGrappling in their year end awards. Take a look at the video below to see the choke as it played out.

Vieira begins to secure his grip with his opponent in half guard, but the opponent is able to begin passing to side control in an attempt to take pressure off of the choke. When the opponent tries to stand up to further pop his head out Alexandre hooks the leg and brings his own legs underneath of him to begin standing. Then while maintaining the the lapel grip, he stands into a pseudo fireman’s carry hoisting the opponent on his shoulder and choking him unconscious. It’s crucial to note the gentle and respectful nature in which Vieira places his opponent on the ground and holds his leg up to get the blood flowing again.

Recently, Vieira visited Bernardo Faria and his academy in Massachusetts and shared a breakdown with Bernardo of his award winning submission. Check it out below.

Let’s look at a few of the key points that make this technique so devastating. First and foremost, there is the lapel grip. The beauty of a loop choke lapel grip is the relative shallowness of the grip. Barely even signals any danger to the opponent and most people won’t even know they’re in danger.

The next key element is blocking the hip on the same side as the arm that has secured the grip. This ensures that the only way for them to pass is to the side that sets up the loop choke. In this case, as Bernardo keeps his head low and works to pass to side control, he is actually going deeper into the choke where Alexandre wants him to go.

Once Bernardo has secured side control, the threat of the choke begins to become a reality. In an attempt to make his escape, he must stand up to free his head. These leads Alexandre to grasp the far thigh on Bernardo and begin to stand with him. Then by pulling Bernardo onto his back and shoulders he takes away all possibility Bernardo had to relieve the tightening of the choke and is therefore suspended and ultimately submitted.

Want to develop insane loop choke attacks? Alexandre Vieira is one of the most exciting up and coming grapplers today under the Brazilian Top Team flag.  In 2017, his loop choke submission was chosen as the Submission of the Year by FloGrappling. Alexandre recently put together his Crucifix and Loop Choke 3 volume instructional set.  Alexandre brings a modern outlook to some of the sports most devastating, but sometimes ignored positions, the crucifix and the loop choke.