What is the Anaconda Choke?
The anaconda choke traps the head and one arm from a front headlock, then finishes by rolling toward the trapped arm to tighten the strangulation. It pairs with the D’arce: when the wrap direction flips, switch rather than forcing the wrong finish.
Setup
- From front headlock, wrap under the neck and around the near shoulder so the arm is trapped.
- Connect a gable or S-grip and sprawl to remove space.
- Angle your body for the roll toward the trapped-arm side.
Execution
- Roll through while keeping the grip tight and their posture broken.
- Land belly-down or on your side with the arm still trapped in the wrap.
- Squeeze elbows in and expand your chest to finish the blood choke.
Finishing
- Walk hips toward their head if slack remains after the roll.
- Switch to D’arce if the arm line reverses mid-scramble.
- Release immediately on tap — front-headlock chokes finish quickly when locked.
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Safety Warning
Anaconda finishes can put partners out fast after the roll. Apply progressive pressure, watch for taps during the rotation, and never crank the neck instead of closing the arm-in loop.
Primary Targets
- Neck
- Carotid arteries
Key Concepts
- Roll direction follows the trapped arm — wrong way stalls the choke.
- Sprawl and connection beat arm strength before you roll.
- D’arce and anaconda are a pair; learn the switch.
Primary Entries
- Sprawl defense when they shoot and leave a head-and-arm wrap.
- Failed guillotine that settles into a deep front headlock.
- Turtle front-headlock breakdowns with one arm trapped.
Defenses & Counters
- Expect them to extract the trapped arm before you roll — re-sprawl and reconnect.
- Watch for stand-ups that lift you; keep hips heavy or abandon to a front headlock reset.
- If they hide the near shoulder, switch to D’arce or back take instead of forcing the roll.
Follow-Ups
- D’arce choke when the wrap direction flips.
- Guillotine if the arm clears and the neck remains available.
- Back take when they turn away from the front headlock.
Training Drills
- Front-headlock to anaconda roll entries with cooperative sprawls.
- D’arce ↔ anaconda switch drills on a static wrap.
- Live sprawl rounds where only arm-in chokes score.
Related Techniques
Deepen your study with complementary positions and attacks.
Summary
The anaconda is a roll-through front-headlock choke. Trap the head and arm, sprawl to remove space, roll toward the trapped side, and finish with tight elbows — or switch to the D’arce when the line reverses.