Thought Ezekiel Choke is a lame move that works only in Gi and on beginners? Better think twice. Because if you really thought that, you are very wrong. This technique, if done correctly can be a truly deadly weapon from top and bottom, both in Gi and No Gi. And Aleksei Oleinik is living proof of this. This Ukrainian-born Russian is the only fighter to win a UFC fight via Ezekiel choke and has done so twice. At the same time, he also holds the record for most Ezekiel choke wins in MMA competition. This proves emphatically it is worth taking a moment to learn about this technique and find out what is the secret of its effective use. So if you no longer want to be stuck in your misconceptions look below for more info and learn how to do Aleksei Oleinik’s No Gi Ezekiel Choke.
Ezekiel Choke
Ezekiel is one of the simplest chokes in BJJ. In it, you just use your Gi sleeve as leverage to choke the opponent. It combines the use of your sleeve and the wrist, in a scissor-like motion that blocks your opponent’s trachea and/or the carotid arteries. The choke became highly popular in BJJ during the 90s as it is one of the few chokes/attacks that a top fighter can attempt without any risk from inside the guard of the opponent. Moreover, Ezekiel doesn’t require having great strength, works also as a counter when your opponent gets double under hooks. Another great aspect of this choke is the opportunity to adjust at will. You can switch back and forth or just start another thing.
Different ways of using it
The best and simplest way to perform Ezekiel Choke is from the top half guard in Gi. From this position, it is very easy to perform. However, don’t forget that it’s not the only situation where you can use it.
For example, you can really surprise your opponent and use it from the closed guard. To do so, you just have to break others’ person posture by bringing them down with your thighs. As a starting point, use the cross collar choke. To finish the choke, push one elbow upwards over their neck. Wrap the other hand around the back of their neck and grab the inside of your sleeve. Apply pressure downward with your forearm to finish the choke. If that wasn’t cool enough, you can use Ezekiel in No Gi too!
No Gi Ezekiel Choke
Of course, it is not as effective as in Gi, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be powerful and useful. To perform this technique correctly without the use of a Gi you just need to focus on a bit different things. Here all the focus is on the wrists.
Top
No matter if in Gi or not, performing Ezekiel from the top is quite easy. You will still use the basic setup, with one arm around the head. For the No Gi Ezekiel Choke, it is important to go as deep as possible with your choking hand and utilize the hand to help you finish. The arm under the head needs to be really deep too so that you can grab your wrist with your own arm. From there, the pressure principles remain the same.
However, this is still not all! It is because you can also do a sneaky No Gi Ezekiel Choke from the bottom. And that is exactly what Aleksei Oleinik did in his UFC matches twice. So it is high time to find out how to do Ezekiel Choke in his style.
Aleksei Oleinik’s No Gi Ezekiel Choke
The basic idea of the No GI Ezekiel choke from the bottom is to stay safe. In his fights, Aleksei makes sure he’s safe by wrapping an arm around the head of his opponent and keeping him close. He reinforces the arm with a rear-naked choke grip, protecting the side of his head from punches. Once he sees an opening, he sneaks the arm in, and, since he already has the rear-naked choke configuration, the choke is instant and imminent. In his MMA cases, having gloves helps him finish. And in BJJ, you’ll need to work out how much to twist your arm and in what direction, but it is not too hard to do.
The greatest power of this technique is its element of surprise. This is not a choke that your opponent will be expecting. Firstly because you are from the bottom and it’s a No Gi match. And what’s even better, even when they know it’s coming, they’ll either tap or completely abandon everything, giving you a way out of mount at the very least.
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