YR Sports Lab
Your opponent shoots for a takedown, stuffs the attempt, and drops their head low into a turtle. Instead of hunting for the back, you drop into a front headlock, thread one arm over their shoulder and the other under their armpit to lock hands under the chin, then hike the leg on your choking-arm side up and over their back and extend your whole body like a deadlift. This choke, part acrobatics and part wrestling, is named the Peruvian Necktie after both its inventor's nationality and the shape of the grip around the neck. This entry breaks down the origin story, the technical structure, three entry windows, strengths and limitations, common counters, and where it actually stands under IBJJF rules and in the MMA cage.
1. Origins: How One Peruvian's Name Became a Choke
Peruvian competitor Tony DeSouza (born Anton Nicolas de Souza) was born July 26, 1974, in Lima, Peru, and is the fighter widely credited as the technique's inventor. His Wikipedia entry describes a fighting style blending freestyle wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, training under coach André Pederneiras (known as "Dede") and earning his black belt, with a long-running training association with Pederneiras's Brazilian powerhouse gym, Nova União. Multiple combat-sports outlets (BJJ World, MMA Sucka, LowKick MMA) consistently describe the move as a modified guillotine variation DeSouza worked out alongside Pederneiras in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The naming logic is straightforward: DeSouza is Peruvian, and the way the technique wraps an arm and leg around the opponent's neck resembles a necktie worn around the throat, so the two elements combined into "Peruvian Necktie."
One submission, an unexpected crossover into judo that forced a rule change
This choke didn't stay confined to no-gi grappling, it also made an unexpected crossover into judo competition. In October 2009, Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi's coach, Shany Hershko, took his team to Minsk, Belarus for a training camp, where Gerbi was shown a Peruvian Necktie variation by a fighter freshly back from training in Brazil, and picked it up on the spot, using it for the first time in competition at the 2011 Paris World Championships against Janie Nakao. What truly put the technique on the map was the 2013 World Judo Championships final in Rio de Janeiro at 63kg: Gerbi used it to render reigning European champion Clarisse Agbegnenou of France unconscious for an ippon win in just 43 seconds, a victory that also made her the first Israeli ever to win a judo World Championship gold medal. The technique became known in the media as the "Gerbi Choke," and not long after, the International Judo Federation (IJF) formally banned Peruvian Necktie-type chokes, citing safety concerns over the use of the jacket's skirt in executing them.
2. Mechanics: From the Front Headlock to a Scissoring Finish
The Peruvian Necktie's entry point is a front headlock or a turtled opponent. The attacker first secures an over-under configuration or a gable grip / S-grip around the opponent's head and one arm, then hikes the leg on the choking-arm side up and over the opponent's back or shoulder blades, using a scissoring downward leg pressure to add extra leverage while extending the upper body upright, like a deadlift, rather than relying on arm strength alone.
| Stage | Key details |
|---|---|
| ① Establish the front headlock | The moment an opponent's takedown fails and their head drops forward, or they turtle up voluntarily, secure control of their head and neck with both hands from the top |
| ② Lock the over-under grip | One arm wraps over the opponent's shoulder, the other threads under their armpit to trap the arm, hands locking near the chin in a gable grip or S-grip |
| ③ Hike the leg over the back | The leg on the choking-arm side lifts up along the opponent's neck and swings over their back or shoulder blades, the hamstring pressing into their upper back |
| ④ Extend upright like a deadlift | The upper body stays tall and extended, chest up rather than collapsed forward, generating tension through the whole-body lean rather than arm strength alone |
| ⑤ Finish with a scissoring squeeze | Both legs scissor downward together while the arm lock holds firm, finishing the choke or forcing the tap |
This move is fundamentally a variation of the guillotine choke, differing mainly in the added step of throwing the leg over the opponent's back, bringing the lower body into the finish rather than relying purely on arm strength the way a standard guillotine does.
3. Entry Timing and Setups
There are three common windows for entering the Peruvian Necktie:
First, the moment an opponent's takedown or shot fails and their head drops forward into a turtle. This is the most common trigger, as the opponent voluntarily exposes their head and neck to your attack.
Second, when an opponent's head gets pressed low during a standing wrestling clinch exchange. Rather than finishing a takedown outright, dropping straight into the front headlock instead can catch an opponent completely off guard.
Third, when an opponent stalls in a turtle for an extended period to avoid giving up their back. Instead of grinding through the usual, time-consuming route to back control, this move can be launched directly from the front, offering a faster path to a finish.
4. Strengths and Limitations
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Finishes directly from turtle or a front headlock without first needing to secure back control | Steep learning curve for the grip, described by combat media as something practitioners "either pick up quickly or never quite get" |
| Combines choking and neck-leverage mechanics, making it hard for an opponent to power out through strength alone once locked in correctly | If the arm or leg positioning isn't fully in place, the choke can shift into a pure neck-crank load, raising cervical spine risk |
| Rare enough in no-gi competition to catch unfamiliar opponents by surprise | An opponent who reacts in time with a wrestling sit-out to break the angle can make it very difficult to re-secure the choke |
5. Common Counters
Countering the Peruvian Necktie comes down to breaking the angle rather than trying to peel off the grip by force:
First, recognize the over-under grip forming early and lift your chin and chest up. This keeps the opponent's arm from sinking to full depth around your neck, the first line of defense against the choke ever forming.
Second, before the opponent gets their leg all the way over your back, perform a wrestling-style sit-out. Extend the outside leg and square your hips toward the other side, which usually slides you out of the choke's range. You'll likely end up under side control or top pressure, but that's far safer than staying put and getting fully locked in.
Third, fight for control of the opponent's wrist and forearm rather than rushing to peel off the arm wrapped around your neck. Breaking the angle, not directly stripping the grip, is what actually gets you out once the opponent has already locked it in tight.
Don't rush back to your feet the instant you escape
Once a sit-out has gotten you clear of the choke's range, you'll usually land under side control or top pressure. Rather than scrambling to stand up immediately, frame up to protect your neck and arms first and get your breathing and vision back under control.
Once you've stabilized, assess whether there's an opening to rebuild your guard or to stand up during a transition, rather than trying to fight straight out the moment you've escaped the choke.
6. Competition Frequency and Legality
On the rules side, because the primary mechanism of this submission is classified as a choke rather than a pure neck crank, this type of technique is generally treated as legal across adult belt divisions under current IBJJF rules, gi and no-gi alike. IBJJF does apply stricter restrictions to neck-related techniques in youth divisions, though the exact age thresholds should be checked against the current rulebook, since no primary source with a specific, reliable age figure turned up during research for this piece. Combat media outlet bjj-world.com specifically flags that this move always sits in a "gray zone between a choke and a neck crank," and even a slightly off angle of execution can get it ruled as having drifted away from a legitimate choking action.
In MMA, combat media has repeatedly noted that this technique has only two documented successful finishes in UFC history: on July 19, 2008, C.B. Dollaway used it to finish Jesse Taylor at 3:58 of the first round at UFC Fight Night 14, earning Submission of the Night honors in what was also the first successful use of the technique in the UFC; the second came on September 14, 2019, when Misha Cirkunov finished Jimmy Crute with it at 3:38 of the first round at UFC Fight Night 158. More than a decade separates the two instances, reflecting just how rare a finish this remains in the high-intensity environment of MMA competition. Pure jiu-jitsu organizations like IBJJF and ADCC don't publish per-technique finish statistics, and third-party combat media coverage describes it as never having reached the usage rate of a guillotine or brabo choke, a qualitative description rather than an official figure (accessed 2026/09).
7. Safety Notes
The Peruvian Necktie fundamentally sits in a gray zone between a choke and a neck crank. Technical analysis from bjj-world.com notes that when the over-under grip is properly sunk near the opponent's chin, the primary load falls on the airway and carotid arteries as a genuine choke, and the opponent typically taps from the resulting hypoxia. But if the arm placement is shallow or the grip loosens during a transition, the load shifts to leverage applied through the leg onto the back of the opponent's neck, creating an uncontrolled neck-crank risk. This is part of why the International Judo Federation later banned related variations, citing safety concerns. No injury research specific to the Peruvian Necktie was found; for more on choke mechanics and tap timing in general, or on the safety principles common to neck-leverage techniques, see our Guillotine Choke deep dive and our Neck Crank entry.
・Confirm the over-under grip is actually sunk near the opponent's chin, not just caught on the side of the neck
・The moment you feel the load shift from a choke into pure neck pressure, stop applying force immediately and alert your partner
・Drill slowly at first with a coach who knows the technique supervising arm and leg angles
・If you feel a pulling or sharp sensation in your cervical spine rather than plain pressure while caught, tap immediately rather than trying to fight through it
FAQ
Where does the name "Peruvian Necktie" come from?
Because the fighter credited with inventing it, Tony DeSouza, is Peruvian, and the way the technique wraps an arm and leg around the opponent's neck resembles a necktie worn around the throat. Put those two elements together and you get "Peruvian Necktie," a name most gyms and media simply use as-is rather than translating.
Can white belts drill the Peruvian Necktie?
Yes. Under IBJJF rules the Peruvian Necktie is classified primarily as a choke, so it's generally legal across adult belt divisions, gi or no-gi, unlike some joint locks that carry explicit belt-based restrictions. IBJJF applies stricter rules to neck-related techniques in youth divisions, so check the current rulebook for the exact age thresholds. Because the grip can slip into a neck-crank-style load during transitions, it's worth drilling the correct over-under grip and body angle under a coach's supervision before going live with it.
How is the Peruvian Necktie different from a standard Guillotine?
The Peruvian Necktie is essentially a variation of the guillotine choke, starting from the same over-under or S-grip off a front headlock. The difference is that it throws the leg on the choking-arm side over the opponent's back, adding a scissoring downward leg pressure on top of the arm squeeze rather than relying on the arms alone, which demands more body extension and positioning than a standard guillotine.
How do I escape a Peruvian Necktie?
The key is breaking the angle rather than trying to peel off the grip by force. Before your opponent gets their leg all the way over your back, perform a wrestling-style sit-out: extend the outside leg and square your hips toward the other side. This usually slides you out of the choke's range, and while you'll likely end up under side control or top pressure, that's a safer outcome than staying put and getting fully locked in.
Why is this submission so rare in competition?
Combat media coverage of the technique notes that the grip has a steep learning curve, described as something practitioners either pick up quickly or never quite get, unlike the smoother progression curve of a guillotine or brabo choke. As a result, even though it's legal and effective, coaches tend not to prioritize it as a core offensive tool. That's a qualitative observation from grappling media, not an official statistic.
References
1. Wikipedia contributors. Tony DeSouza. en.wikipedia.org/Tony_DeSouza (accessed 2026/09; supports DeSouza's birth on July 26, 1974, in Lima, Peru; his blended wrestling/BJJ style; training under André Pederneiras; his association with Nova União; and his development of the Peruvian Necktie, which became widely known after C.B. Dollaway used it in the UFC)
2. Wikipedia contributors. UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Irvin. en.wikipedia.org (accessed 2026/09; supports Dollaway finishing Jesse Taylor with a Peruvian Necktie at UFC Fight Night 14 on July 19, 2008, round 1 at 3:58, earning the Submission of the Night bonus)
3. Wikipedia contributors. UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Gaethje. en.wikipedia.org (accessed 2026/09; supports Cirkunov finishing Jimmy Crute with a Peruvian Necktie at UFC Fight Night 158 on September 14, 2019, round 1 at 3:38)
4. American Judo. The Origins of the Gerbi Choke. americanjudo.com (accessed 2026/09; supports the Gerbi Choke as a Peruvian Necktie variation, Gerbi's exposure to the technique in Minsk, Belarus in October 2009, and her first use of it at the 2011 Paris World Championships)
5. Wikipedia contributors. Yarden Gerbi. en.wikipedia.org/Yarden_Gerbi (accessed 2026/09; supports Gerbi's Israeli nationality, her 2013 World Championship gold at 63kg, her 43-second choke finish over European champion Clarisse Agbegnenou, and her status as the first Israeli to win a judo World Championship gold)
6. BJJEE. International Judo Federation (IJF) Bans Peruvian Necktie-Type Chokes. bjjee.com (accessed 2026/09; supports the IJF banning Peruvian Necktie-type chokes citing safety concerns over the use of the jacket's skirt, a decision connected to Gerbi's use of the technique at the 2013 World Championships)
7. BJJ World. Peruvian Necktie: A Tight Choke and a Brutal Neck Crank. bjj-world.com (accessed 2026/09; supports the technical analysis describing this move as sitting in a gray zone between a choke and a neck crank, and its steep grip-learning curve relative to the guillotine or brabo choke's competition usage rate)