How to Counter a Guillotine Every Time
0
Guillotine Counter·SBG PDX & Vancouver BJJ and MMA Videos
Try out SBG University for a month for free. Use the code: YOUTUBEFREE https://sbgu.samcart.com/referral/OD1DNOAi/vUiYFZ…
Guillotine Counter
SubFamilyギロチンカウンター(Girochin Kauntā)
TransliterationTranslation: guillotine counter
Overview
The Guillotine Counter subfamily covers the defensive technique of applying a guillotine choke as a counter to the opponent's takedown attempt, using the attacker's forward head position during the shot to secure the neck. [1] When an opponent shoots for a takedown, their head typically drops to the defender's hip level with the neck exposed — this creates a natural opportunity for the defender to wrap their arm around the opponent's neck and apply a guillotine choke. [1],[2] The guillotine counter is one of the most common and effective takedown counters in MMA. [2],[3]
History & Origin
The guillotine choke as a takedown counter became one of the most iconic techniques in MMA, with fighters like Nate Diaz, Charles Oliveira, and Dustin Poirier using it to finish takedown-heavy opponents. [1] The technique demonstrates the fundamental risk of shooting takedowns in MMA — exposure to front headlock submissions. [2],[3]
Effectiveness
The guillotine counter attacks the opponent's exposed neck during a takedown attempt. [1]
Lineage
The guillotine as a takedown defence counter is a staple of MMA. [1]
Competition Record
The guillotine is one of the most common submission finishes against takedown attempts in MMA. [1]
Images
No images yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest an image.
Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Preventing or reducing the effect of an incoming attack through physical interception, evasion, or structural positioning
Joints Involved — Varies by defence type — blocks use arms/shins, evasions use head/body movement, sprawls use hips
Force Vector — Opposing or tangential to the attack — either absorbing, redirecting, or evading the incoming force
Defensive Principle — Economy of motion — the best defence uses minimal movement to neutralise the maximum threat
Position & Entry
From fighting stance (under fire) — Bring both hands to the head, elbows tight, tuck the chin — absorb the flurry while protecting vital targets
As emergency defence — When overwhelmed by volume, shell up in the cover position until the opponent pauses
Videos
Half Guard Counters VS the Guillotine Choke!
0
Guillotine Counter·TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian
This video I show a couple counters I like to use when I'm in half guard and the top guy goes for the guillotine. Check…
2 videos
What Instructors Say
Guillotine counters represent a defensive response family deployed when an opponent attempts to establish a guillotine choke from top position, typically during takedown attempts or transitions from guard. The unifying strategic principle is head positioning and shoulder connection: maintaining or establishing tight shoulder-to-body contact dramatically reduces the attacker's mechanical leverage and choke effectiveness. SBG PDX & Vancouver emphasizes grip mechanics—controlling the choke by keeping the forearm as a shelf on the opponent's shoulders, creating separation—while the counter involves relaxing the arm initially to whip it over the opponent's back, then pulling the shoulder into their body to neutralize pressure. TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian stresses proactive head positioning in half-guard, keeping the head connected to the chest and monitoring the attacking arm to prevent the guillotine setup entirely, or baiting it deliberately to create openings for sweeps and submissions. Both instructors converge on a secondary principle: once the guillotine is engaged, transitioning to dominant positional control (guard re-establishment, knee-lever sweeps, or wrist control) while maintaining structural pressure on the attacker's body, which either breaks their grip or allows counter-submissions including arm triangles and leg locks. The choice of counter variant depends on positional context—half-guard positioning favors head-connection prevention, while already-caught scenarios require shoulder pressure and escape mechanics.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- SBG PDX & Vancouver BJJ and MMA Videos — How to Counter a Guillotine Every Time: Detailed grip mechanics of guillotine setup (forearm-as-shelf concept) and counter mechanics emphasizing shoulder-to-body connection, arm-whipping entry, and secondary submissions (von flue choke, triangle) if the attacker establishes guard.
- TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian — Half Guard Counters VS the Guillotine Choke!: Proactive head positioning strategies in half-guard to prevent guillotine setup, baiting techniques to force overextension, and multiple counter sequences involving knee-lever sweeps, wrist control, guard re-establishment, lock-down transitions, and arm-triangle finishes.
Learn This Technique
No instructional courses yet for this technique.
Sign in to suggest a course.
Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
3
Moderate3/10
Sprawls and stuffs involve sudden body weight displacement; knee/hip strain risk
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Intermediate
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF— IBJJF — Legal — defensive techniques are fundamental to g...
IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF— IJF — Legal defensive action
IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF— ADCC — Legal
ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF— UWW — Legal defensive technique
UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal
FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓The guillotine counter catches the opponent's neck when they duck their head for a takedown — the most common submission counter in MMA (Marcelo Garcia, X-Guard, 2008)
✓The timing: as the opponent's head comes forward and below your chest level during the shot, wrap the arm around their neck
✓Use the arm guillotine (arm-in) for safety if the opponent's arm is included, or the high-elbow guillotine for maximum choking pressure
✓The guillotine counter works because the opponent offers their neck during the shot — their own forward motion creates the opening
✓After securing the guillotine grip, pull guard or sprawl depending on your game — both positions can finish the choke
✓The guillotine counter is a powerful deterrent — wrestlers who've been guillotined shoot with their head up, making their shots less effective
✓The critical detail: get the blade of your wrist (forearm) under the opponent's chin, not on the throat — this ensures a blood choke
✓Train the guillotine catch against live shots, progressively increasing the speed and commitment of the partner's takedowns
Common Mistakes
!Reaching for the neck before the opponent has committed to the shot — premature guillotine attempts sacrifice position
!Wrapping the neck with the arm too deep (past the chin) — the wrist should be under the chin for the choke
!Pulling guard with a loose guillotine — the grip must be tight before committing to pulling guard
!Not controlling the opponent's arm with the guillotine — if their arm pops out, the choke becomes a crank
!Squeezing the guillotine with arm strength alone — the finishing mechanic uses the hip thrust (if standing) or guard closure
!Going for the guillotine against opponents who are expecting it — skilled wrestlers bait the guillotine to complete the takedown
!Not securing full guard after pulling — if the opponent passes while you hold the guillotine, the choke becomes much harder to finish
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Anticipate the Attack — read the opponent's intention through body cues
2Execute Defence — apply the specific defensive technique with proper timing
3Recover Stance — return to a balanced fighting position immediately
4Counter or Disengage — capitalize on the opening or create safe distance
Sources & References
Primary Source
Boxing (Edwin Haislet, 1940)
1BookFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Fundamentals of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Danaher, 2012) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010)
2BookWrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Cejudo & Holliday, 2015)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention
Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities
4CitationFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)
Alias sources — [1] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] Fundamentals of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Danaher, 2012) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010)
5CitationWrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Cejudo & Holliday, 2015)
Effectiveness sources — [1] Mastering Jujitsu (Gracie & Danaher, 2003)
Community
Athletics
Requires
reaction speed, structural body mechanics, defensive awareness
Favours
quick reflexes and conditioned defensive surfaces
Key muscles
varies — forearms (blocking), legs (movement), core (stability)
Sub-techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my opponent from getting a good guillotine in half guard?
Keep your head connected to your opponent's chest, as Coach Brian from TeachMeGrappling emphasizes—this makes it very hard for them to set up the choke. You can also position your head strategically and even bait the guillotine to make them overextend themselves.
What's the key grip I should use to escape a guillotine?
Use a claw grip on the upper body around the neck with your hand, then turn the grip with your thumb up. SBG PDX & Vancouver emphasizes that you should grip deep on the back rather than on the face, and keep your arm relaxed initially to whip it over your opponent's back.
How do I defend once I'm caught in a guillotine?
According to Coach Brian, stay calm and let your partner burn their energy while you defend by not letting them sweep you or flip you. Brace your neck connection to prevent them from swinging you around and hurting your neck, and work to establish a deep grip on their back.
What's the most reliable counter that works every time against a guillotine?
SBG PDX & Vancouver teaches that the counter is consistent: relax, get a good connection with your shoulder, whip your arm loosely over the top of their back, and once you have the grip, pull it down deeply toward their hips while bracing to control their neck.
How does the Guillotine Counter work?
The Guillotine Counter subfamily covers the defensive technique of applying a guillotine choke as a counter to the opponent's takedown attempt, using the attacker's forward head position during the shot to secure the neck. When an opponent shoots for a takedown, their head typically drops to the defender's hip level with the neck exposed — this creates a natural opportunity for the defender to wrap their arm around the opponent's neck and apply a guillotine choke.
Where does the Guillotine Counter come from?
The guillotine choke as a takedown counter became one of the most iconic techniques in MMA, with fighters like Nate Diaz, Charles Oliveira, and Dustin Poirier using it to finish takedown-heavy opponents. The technique demonstrates the fundamental risk of shooting takedowns in MMA — exposure to front headlock submissions.
Is the Guillotine Counter legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal — defensive techniques are fundamental to grappling; IJF: legal — Legal defensive action; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal defensive technique; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal
How dangerous is the Guillotine Counter?
Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sprawls and stuffs involve sudden body weight displacement; knee/hip strain risk
How do I set up the Guillotine Counter?
The standard setup chain: Anticipate the Attack → Execute Defence → Recover Stance → Counter or Disengage.
How do I defend against the Guillotine Counter?
Standard counters include: Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements / Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure / Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover.
What are the variants of the Guillotine Counter?
Common variants: Standard defence (primary defensive technique from the most common position); Reactive defence (triggered by the opponent's attack, minimal movement for …); Proactive defence (anticipating the attack and positioning to neutralise it …); Counter defence (using the defensive movement to create an immediate count…).
How effective is the Guillotine Counter in competition?
The guillotine is one of the most common submission finishes against takedown attempts in MMA.
What are common mistakes when doing the Guillotine Counter?
Top errors to watch for: Reaching for the neck before the opponent has committed to the shot — premature guillotine attempts sacrifice position / Wrapping the neck with the arm too deep (past the chin) — the wrist should be under the chin for the choke / Pulling guard with a loose guillotine — the grip must be tight before committing to pulling guard / Not controlling the opponent's arm with the guillotine — if their arm pops out, the choke becomes a crank.
What are other names for the Guillotine Counter?
The Guillotine Counter is also known as Girochin Kauntā, Front Headlock Choke, Guillotine Counter-Attack, Snap-Down Guillotine.