How to Defend a Standing Guillotine Choke with Stephan Kesting
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Standard Guillotine Counter·Ando Mierzwa·Added by Admin
Learning how to defend against the standing guillotine choke is a MUST for every martial artist, whether you're into MMA…
Standard Guillotine Counter
Genusスタンダードギロチンカウンター(Sutandādo Girochin Kauntā)
TransliterationTranslation: standard guillotine counter
Overview
The Standard Guillotine Counter wraps the arm around the shooting opponent's neck as they level-change for a takedown, secures the choking grip (arm-in or no-arm), and applies the choke either standing or by pulling guard. [1] The counter is executed by sprawling slightly to create the angle needed to secure the neck, then wrapping the choking arm deep under the chin and connecting the hands. [1],[2] The defender can finish standing by squeezing the choke while sprawling, or by pulling guard and applying the choke from the bottom position. [2],[3]
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The guillotine choke as a takedown counter is one of the highest-percentage submissions in MMA, as the head position required for many takedowns (head on the inside) naturally exposes the neck to the guillotine grip. [1] Statistics from UFC bouts show the guillotine is among the most frequently attempted submissions in the sport, with a significant percentage coming as counters to takedown attempts. [2]
Lineage
The guillotine choke has been used as a takedown counter since the earliest days of MMA, with Royce Gracie demonstrating its effectiveness in the early UFC events. [1] John Danaher's systematisation of the front headlock position further refined the guillotine as a primary takedown defence option. [2]
Competition Record
The guillotine counter has produced numerous finishes in UFC competition. Notably, Nate Diaz submitted Marcus Davis via guillotine after a takedown attempt at UFC Fight Night 19 (2009), and Dustin Poirier has secured multiple guillotine finishes off of scrambles from takedown defence. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Driving the hips backward and downward to prevent the opponent from completing a level change or takedown entry
Joints Involved — Hips (explosive rearward thrust), legs (extending to drop weight), chest (driving down onto opponent's back)
Force Vector — Downward and rearward — hips drop to the mat while weight drives onto the opponent's shoulders and head
Defensive Mechanic — Sprawling eliminates the attacker's penetration angle — dead weight on their upper body prevents completion of the shot
Position & Entry
From fighting stance (opponent shoots) — When the opponent level changes for a takedown, thrust the hips backward and down, driving chest onto their upper back
As reactive defence — Detect the level change and immediately kick the legs backward while dropping the hips to the mat
Variants
Full sprawl — both legs kicked back, hips dropped to the mat
Half sprawl — one leg back while the other posts for balance
Sprawl to front headlock — sprawling and immediately securing head control
Videos
1 video
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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
✓Standard guillotine counter execution: as the opponent shoots, wrap the near arm around their neck with the wrist under the chin, secure a Marcelotine grip, and either sprawl or pull guard to finish (Marcelo Garcia, X-Guard, 2008)
✓The Marcelotine grip (high-elbow guillotine): shooting-side arm wraps the neck, opposite hand clasps over the wrist, elbow of the choking arm points to the ceiling
✓The choke finishes by: pulling the wrist hand upward toward your own chest while driving the choking-arm elbow to the ceiling
✓From standing: secure the grip, hip into the opponent, and finish with a hip thrust while arching backward
✓From guard: pull full closed guard, control the opponent's posture with your legs, and squeeze by lifting the hips
✓The guillotine counter is position-dependent: if you have good sprawl position, sprawl and guillotine from top; if the opponent is driving through, pull guard
✓The standard guillotine counter should be one of every MMA fighter's first three learned techniques — it's that fundamental
✓Drill: partner shoots at 50% → catch guillotine → finish from both standing and guard positions, 10 reps each
Common Mistakes
!Wrapping the neck loosely — the forearm must be tight against the neck before the opponent can posture up
!Keeping the choking-arm elbow low — a low elbow makes it a neck crank, not a choke; point the elbow up
!Pulling guard without a secure grip — the opponent will posture up and pass; secure the grip first
!Not closing the guard (leaving it open or half guard) — closed guard prevents the opponent from posturing and passing
!Squeezing by crunching the abs — the finish comes from hip extension and elbow elevation, not a crunch
!Holding the guillotine too long without finishing — if it's not finishing, transition (to darce, anaconda, or front headlock)
!Going for the guillotine when the opponent's head is high — the guillotine requires the head to be below your chest
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
Freestyle Wrestling: A Complete Guide for Coaches and Wrestlers (Petrov, 1977)
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] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] UFC FightMetric submission statistics
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] Jiu-Jitsu University (Ribeiro, 2008) [2] UFC FightMetric submission statistics
Community
Athletics
Requires
reaction speed, explosive hip extension, downward driving force
Favours
long legs for quick sprawl, heavy upper body
Key muscles
hip extensors, glutes, core, shoulders (dead weight)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important thing to prevent getting caught in a standing guillotine?
Keep your head up and avoid looking down at the floor. Ando Mierzwa emphasizes that maintaining head position makes it difficult for your opponent to apply the choke effectively.
How does arching help with defending a guillotine?
Both attacker and defender need to arch to succeed—the attacker must arch to secure the choke, and the defender must arch to create space and potentially counter by looping the opponent's head. According to Ando Mierzwa, it comes down to who executes the arch correctly first.
Can I use the same mechanics to defend that my opponent uses to attack?
Yes. Ando Mierzwa notes that looping the head works both ways—if your opponent loops your head to attack, you can loop their head to defend, making it a timing game where whoever executes the technique correctly first wins.
How does the Standard Guillotine Counter work?
The Standard Guillotine Counter wraps the arm around the shooting opponent's neck as they level-change for a takedown, secures the choking grip (arm-in or no-arm), and applies the choke either standing or by pulling guard. The counter is executed by sprawling slightly to create the angle needed to secure the neck, then wrapping the choking arm deep under the chin and connecting the hands.
Where does the Standard Guillotine Counter come from?
The standard guillotine counter is one of the most practised defensive techniques in MMA, recognised as the primary submission risk associated with shooting takedowns. Its high finish rate has made it a fundamental part of MMA defensive training.
Is the Standard 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 Standard 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 Standard Guillotine Counter?
The standard setup chain: Anticipate the Attack → Execute Defence → Recover Stance → Counter or Disengage.
How do I defend against the Standard 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 Standard Guillotine Counter?
Common variants: Full sprawl (both legs kicked back, hips dropped to the mat); Half sprawl (one leg back while the other posts for balance); Sprawl to front headlock (sprawling and immediately securing head control).
How effective is the Standard Guillotine Counter in competition?
The guillotine counter has produced numerous finishes in UFC competition. Notably, Nate Diaz submitted Marcus Davis via guillotine after a takedown attempt at UFC Fight Night 19 (2009), and Dustin Poirier has secured multiple guillotine finishes off of scrambles from takedown defence.
What are common mistakes when doing the Standard Guillotine Counter?
Top errors to watch for: Wrapping the neck loosely — the forearm must be tight against the neck before the opponent can posture up / Keeping the choking-arm elbow low — a low elbow makes it a neck crank, not a choke; point the elbow up / Pulling guard without a secure grip — the opponent will posture up and pass; secure the grip first / Not closing the guard (leaving it open or half guard) — closed guard prevents the opponent from posturing and passing.
What are other names for the Standard Guillotine Counter?
The Standard Guillotine Counter is also known as Sutandādo Girochin Kauntā, Basic Guillotine Counter, Standing Guillotine, Front Choke Counter.