The Clinch - Episode #68
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Double Collar Cage Clinch·Bazooka Joe Valtellini
Each week i will be releasing a video which is part of the online Bazooka Kickboxing Academy. It will start with a begin…
Double Collar Cage Clinch
SubFamilyダブルカラーケージクリンチ(Daburu Karā Kēji Kurinchi)
TransliterationTranslation: double collar cage clinch
Overview
The Double Collar Cage Clinch subfamily positions the attacker with both hands gripping behind the opponent's neck (double collar tie) while the opponent's back is pressed against the cage fence. [1] The cage prevents the opponent from stepping back to relieve the collar tie pressure, amplifying the effectiveness of the double collar tie by eliminating the primary escape route. [1],[2] From the double collar cage clinch, the attacker can deliver devastating knee strikes (as in the Muay Thai plum), snap the opponent down along the fence, or transition to underhooks and body locks for cage takedowns. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The double collar cage clinch combines Muay Thai's plum clinch with MMA's cage wrestling, creating a hybrid position that emerged as fighters blended Thai clinch striking with fence-based control. [1] The position became a signature tool of fighters like Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva, who used the cage-assisted plum to devastating effect. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The double collar cage clinch uses two-handed collar control with the opponent pinned against the cage, enabling knee strikes and dirty boxing. [1]
Lineage
Developed in MMA as a combination of Muay Thai clinch and cage positioning. [1]
Competition Record
Images
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Controlling the opponent's head and posture using double collar tie or plum position
Joints Involved — Opponent's cervical spine (controlled via collar tie), attacker's elbows (clamped for control), hips (pulling base)
Force Vector — Downward — pulling the opponent's head below their centre of gravity breaks their posture and balance
Control Mechanic — Elbow frames create a cage around the opponent's head — inside position dominance is the key to clinch control
Position & Entry
From striking range — Close distance with a jab or level change, cup the hand behind the opponent's head (nape of the neck), pull their posture down
From hand fighting — During grip exchanges, swim inside and secure the collar tie by cupping the back of the head
Videos
How to Break from the Clinch | MMA Cage Wrestling
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Double Collar Cage Clinch·Danny Mitchell MMA
Last week on the UFC I saw a corner team shouting to their fighter "break away and strike" the fighter had double underh…
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The double collar cage clinch represents a critical control position in cage wrestling where both fighters have established collar/neck ties, typically occurring when defensive framing breaks down or when aggressive clinch exchanges result in mutual high-clinch positioning. Both instructors emphasize that this position requires specific disengagement mechanics rather than simple hand separation, as the interlocked grips create a structural lock that prevents straightforward striking or striking transitions. Danny Mitchell MMA frames the double collar scenario as a high-level cage wrestling position where fighters must choose between committed takedown attempts or strategic striking resets; the key technical principle is using shoulder frames and head-fence positioning to create space for arm extraction before transitioning to strikes or level changes. Bazooka Joe Valtellini contextualizes the clinch range more broadly, stressing that fighters ending up in collar-tied positions often lack positional awareness and must immediately establish hip pressure and shoulder elevation to prevent being pulled forward—a defensive priority that shapes which offensive grips become viable. The subfamily distinguishes itself by the bilateral collar control, which creates mutual vulnerability to forward pressure, knee strikes to the body, and elbow-based exchanges, requiring practitioners to understand both offensive applications (framed striking, takedown set-ups) and defensive escapes (hand unlocking, frame positioning). Strategic selection between position variants depends on fighter height, wrestling base, and whether the clinch was entered intentionally (striking-focused) or accidentally (defensive priority).
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Danny Mitchell MMA — How to Break from the Clinch | MMA Cage Wrestling: Demonstrated mechanical disengagement from double underhooks at the fence using shoulder grabs and elbow posting; showed multiple exit strategies including framed strikes, knee-to-body attacks, and secondary takedown chains when primary takedowns fail; cited live UFC application of these techniques.
- Bazooka Joe Valtellini — The Clinch - Episode #68: Provided foundational clinch positioning principles including hip elevation and shoulder raising to prevent forward collar pulls; outlined four basic clinch grips (inside hands, outside control, high neck/hand control, low clinch) and explained when fighters default to clinch range and what structural mistakes (hips back, head-position compromise) create vulnerabilities in collar-tied positions.
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
4
Moderate4/10
Cage clinch work involves grinding pressure; rib/facial abrasion risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Restricted
WBC/Boxing — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding results in point deduction {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
K-1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— WAKO — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no...
WAKO Competition RulesPDFLegal
— Unified MMA — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— grip fighting
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— IBJJF — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work pe...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IFMA — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai,...
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDF— UWW — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the pri...
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDFTraining Notes
✓The double collar cage clinch uses both hands gripping the opponent's collar/neck area while their back is against the cage — controlling the head against the wall
✓Both hands cup behind the opponent's neck or grip their collar — similar to the Thai plum but with the cage as the third barrier
✓From this position, drive knees and short elbows — the opponent can't retreat because the cage is behind them
✓The double collar cage clinch is the cage adaptation of the Thai plum — the cage amplifies the knees' effectiveness
✓Pull the opponent's head down while driving knees up — the cage prevents them from pulling away
✓Control their posture completely: head down, elbows tight, constant knee strikes
✓This position is most effective against opponents who shell up against the cage — they can't create distance
Common Mistakes
!Holding the double collar without striking — the position exists to enable damage, not to stall
!Using wide elbows — keep the elbows tight to prevent the opponent from swimming inside
!Not driving knees — the double collar cage clinch is specifically for enabling knee strikes
!Pulling the head straight down instead of to the side — vary the pull angle to open different targets
!Letting the opponent pummel their arms inside your elbows — maintain the tight frame
!Standing too far from the cage — your body should pin theirs against the structure
!Not transitioning when the opponent defends — if they block knees, switch to dirty boxing or takedowns
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's gripsFrame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neckGrip Break — systematically strip the opponent's controlling gripsPosture Up — straighten the spine and drive the hips forward to break clinch control
Setup Chain
1Close Distance — bridge the gap using footwork, strikes, or a level change
2Establish Primary Grip — secure the initial controlling grip on the opponent
3Position the Hips — align hips to maximize leverage and control angle
4Apply Pressure — use the grip to control posture and create offensive opportunities
Sources & References
Primary Source
Muay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Yod Ruerngsa, Khun Kao Charuad & James Cartmell, 2002)
1BookKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] Anderson Silva: MMA Instruction Manual (Silva, 2008)
2BookMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling for Fighting (Couture, 2007)
Official Kodokan ground technique classification system
4OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
5CitationKodokan Judo (Kano, 1986)
Alias sources — [1] Clinch Fighting for MMA (Couture, 2011) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (UFC, 2008) [3] Anderson Silva: MMA Instruction Manual (Silva, 2008)
6CitationMuay Thai: The Art of Fighting (Kraitus, 2002)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling for Fighting (Couture, 2007)
Community
Athletics
Requires
neck and bicep strength for head control, endurance for sustained clinch
Favours
longer forearms for deeper collar tie, strong neck
Key muscles
biceps, forearms, neck muscles, core
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the biggest mistake people make when defending against a double collar clinch?
According to Bazooka Joe Valtellini, the biggest mistake is blocking with your hands, which shows a lack of experience. Instead, you should use proper positioning and footwork rather than hand defense.
How do I prevent my opponent from pulling my head down in a double collar clinch?
Keep your shoulders up and don't let them pull your head down—that's the number one thing to avoid. Bazooka Joe Valtellini emphasizes maintaining proper posture so your opponent cannot fold you over and create space for their knees.
Why shouldn't I go under with both hands at the same time in a clinch?
Never let both hands out at the same time because a smart fighter can use their elbows when your hands are disconnected, leaving you vulnerable to strikes.
What's an effective grip I can use from the double collar clinch position?
You can control the inside of the elbow with one hand while gripping the hand with your lead side, which opens up round knee strikes and gives you good control. This grip also prevents your opponent from lifting their arms to create space.
How does the Double Collar Cage Clinch work?
The Double Collar Cage Clinch subfamily positions the attacker with both hands gripping behind the opponent's neck (double collar tie) while the opponent's back is pressed against the cage fence. The cage prevents the opponent from stepping back to relieve the collar tie pressure, amplifying the effectiveness of the double collar tie by eliminating the primary escape route.
Where does the Double Collar Cage Clinch come from?
The double collar cage clinch combines Muay Thai's plum clinch with MMA's cage wrestling, creating a hybrid position that emerged as fighters blended Thai clinch striking with fence-based control. The position became a signature tool of fighters like Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva, who used the cage-assisted plum to devastating effect.
Is the Double Collar Cage Clinch legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA; IJF: legal — Legal — kumi-kata (grip fighting) is fundamental to judo; IBJJF: legal — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work permitted; IFMA: legal — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai, clinch dominance is highly…; WBC/Boxing: restricted — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding resu…; K: restricted — 1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks; WAKO: restricted — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no clinch fighting in most fo…; UWW: legal — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the primary position in Greco-Roman
How dangerous is the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
Danger rating 4/10. Moderate — cage clinch work involves grinding pressure; rib/facial abrasion risk
How do I set up the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
The standard setup chain: Close Distance → Establish Primary Grip → Position the Hips → Apply Pressure.
How do I defend against the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
Standard counters include: Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's grips / Frame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neck / Grip Break — systematically strip the opponent's controlling grips / Posture Up — straighten the spine and drive the hips forward to break clinch control.
What are the variants of the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
Common variants: Single collar tie (one hand on the nape controlling the head); Double collar tie (plum) (both hands behind the head for maximum control); Collar tie with wrist control (one hand on the nape, other controlling the wrist).
How effective is the Double Collar Cage Clinch in competition?
The double collar tie against the cage is a dominant clinch control used extensively in MMA, particularly by Muay Thai specialists who use it to set up knee strikes and elbows in UFC and ONE Championship competition.
What are common mistakes when doing the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
Top errors to watch for: Holding the double collar without striking — the position exists to enable damage, not to stall / Using wide elbows — keep the elbows tight to prevent the opponent from swimming inside / Not driving knees — the double collar cage clinch is specifically for enabling knee strikes / Pulling the head straight down instead of to the side — vary the pull angle to open different targets.
What are other names for the Double Collar Cage Clinch?
The Double Collar Cage Clinch is also known as Daburu Karā Kēji Kurinchi, Double Collar Cage Tie, Cage Plum, Fence Double Collar.