Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish

Variety

袖車絞（マウントから・袖取り仕上げ）(Sode-guruma-jime — From Mount, Sleeve Grip Finish)

Traditional

Translation: Sleeve Wheel Strangle — From Mount, Sleeve Grip Finish

Overview

The Ezekiel choke from mount with sleeve grip finish is the most common application of the Ezekiel, using the mounted position's weight advantage combined with the sleeve-assisted forearm strangle. ^[1] The attacker threads one arm behind the opponent's head, grips the inner sleeve of the opposite arm, then drives the free hand's forearm or fist across the throat while pulling the sleeve tight. ^[1],[2] From mount, the attacker's body weight pins the opponent flat, eliminating bridging and framing defences while the sleeve mechanism compresses the neck. ^[2] This variety is a high-percentage finish because the mount provides maximum control and the sleeve grip is extremely difficult to break once established. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Mount Sleeve-Grip Ezekiel^[1]Sode-guruma from Mount — Sleeve FinishJP^[2]

Used in

BJJ Judo Submission Grappling MMA Sambo

History & Origin

Ezequiel Paraguassú originally developed this technique from mount and kesa gatame during judo training in the late 1980s. ^[1] The mount sleeve-grip finish became one of the most replicated submissions in gi grappling, taught as a fundamental mount attack in BJJ academies worldwide. ^[2],[3]

Effectiveness

The mounted Ezekiel with sleeve grip uses the gi sleeve to complete the choke from the dominant mount position. ^[1]

Lineage

The sleeve-grip mounted Ezekiel is the standard finishing detail for this technique. ^[1]

Competition Record

Mounted sleeve-grip Ezekiel chokes are used in gi competition. ^[1]

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Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Anterior compression of the trachea and airway — direct pressure on the throat restricts breathing and triggers tap

Joints Involved — Cervical spine (flexion under pressure), hyoid bone region, laryngeal cartilage

Force Vector — Posterior-to-anterior force drives the forearm or wrist blade into the throat

Choking Mechanism — Tracheal compression — restricts air flow rather than blood flow, causing sensation of suffocation

Position & Entry

From mount — Thread one arm behind the opponent's head using the sleeve, feed the fist or forearm across the throat and squeeze

From inside closed guard — While in opponent's guard, thread the sleeve grip behind their head, drive the fist across

From side control — Secure head control, thread the sleeve-assisted grip and apply the cross-throat pressure

Variants

Gi Ezekiel — uses the sleeve for the choking grip, traditional technique

No-gi Ezekiel — uses the fist or forearm across the throat without sleeve assistance

Reverse Ezekiel — applied from the bottom position when opponent is in your guard

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Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Very High8/10

Mount Ezekiel with sleeve grip is the classic judo-derived finish from top position

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

Illegal

— FIAS Sport Sambo — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Restricted

— no-gi competition only — technique requires gi

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— technique requires gi — not applicable in MMA

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

Legal

— IBJJF — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes a...

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— shime-waza

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— FIAS Combat Sambo — Legal

FIAS Combat Sambo RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓The sleeve-grip Ezekiel from mount threads both hands into the gi sleeve to create a fabric loop around the opponent's neck — the mount position and body weight make this variation exceptionally tight (Kashiwazaki, Shimewaza, 1992)

✓From mount: establish the standard Ezekiel position with one arm behind the head and the hand inside the opposite sleeve — then thread the second hand into the same sleeve from the other end

✓The double-sleeve loop encircles the neck: both forearms connected through the fabric create a rigid choking ring that compresses from every angle

✓The mount advantage is decisive: body weight drives the loop into the neck, the opponent's hips are pinned, and the fabric grip is nearly impossible to strip

✓The sleeve-grip finish from mount is the highest-percentage Ezekiel variation: the combination of positional dominance and gi-fabric mechanics leaves almost no defensive answers

✓The finish: drop weight forward while pulling both elbows toward your hips — the fabric loop tightens like a drawstring around the neck

✓This variation is used when the standard fist-finish Ezekiel is defended: the opponent may block the fist but cannot prevent the fabric loop from encircling the neck

Common Mistakes

!Not maintaining mount during the setup — the double-sleeve threading takes time; ensure mount is stable before committing both hands

!Attempting with a sleeve that is too tight or short — the gi sleeve must accommodate both hands; overly fitted gi tops may not have sufficient fabric

!Threading both hands from the same side — the hands must enter the sleeve from opposite ends to create the encircling loop

!Rising up to create the loop — stay low in mount; rising creates space for the opponent to escape

!Not pulling the elbows toward the hips during the finish — the tightening motion is elbow-retraction, not a pushing action

!Neglecting the opponent's bridge escape — with both hands in the sleeve, you cannot post; maintain heavy hips and low base

!Over-relying on the mount Ezekiel to the exclusion of other mount attacks — keep it as one tool among collar chokes, armbars, and triangles from mount

Related Techniques

Escape — defensive technique to relieve choking pressure and recover position

Counter Techniques

Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle

Setup Chain

1Achieve Controlling Position — secure the position from which the choke is applied

2Isolate the Neck — clear defending hands and establish access to the throat

3Set the Grip — lock the choking configuration (arm, lapel, or leg placement)

4Apply Pressure — squeeze to compress the carotid arteries for the finish

Sources & References

Primary Source

Kodokan Judo — Sode-guruma-jime

1BookKodokan Judo — Sode-guruma-jime

Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Sode-guruma-jime

2SyllabusKodokan Judo — Official Katame-waza Classification

Official Kodokan ground technique classification system

3SyllabusKodokan Judo Institute — Official Waza Names

Standard Japanese martial arts terminology (kanji/hiragana)

4OtherJapanese Martial Arts Standard Terminology (武道用語)

Established Japanese martial arts naming convention — native Japanese term (和語/漢語)

5CitationKodokan Judo — Sode-guruma-jime

Japanese terminology sourced from Kodokan Judo — Sode-guruma-jime

Community

Athletics

Requires

forearm strength, wrist control, top position stability

Favours

thick forearms for pressure across the throat

Key muscles

forearm flexors, wrist extensors, core

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish work?

Where does the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish come from?

Ezequiel Paraguassú originally developed this technique from mount and kesa gatame during judo training in the late 1980s. The mount sleeve-grip finish became one of the most replicated submissions in gi grappling, taught as a fundamental mount attack in BJJ academies worldwide.

Is the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish legal in competition?

IBJJF: legal — Legal at all belt levels, gi and no-gi — chokes are the safest submission cat…; IJF: legal — Legal (shime-waza) — strangulation techniques are one of three permitted subm…; ADCC: restricted — N/A (no-gi competition only — technique requires gi); Unified MMA: restricted — N/A (technique requires gi — not applicable in MMA); FIAS Sport Sambo: banned — All chokes prohibited in Sport Sambo; FIAS Combat Sambo: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

Danger rating 8/10. Mount Ezekiel with sleeve grip is the classic judo-derived finish from top position

How do I set up the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

The standard setup chain: Achieve Controlling Position → Isolate the Neck → Set the Grip → Apply Pressure.

How do I defend against the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

Standard counters include: Tuck Chin — protect the neck by lowering the chin to prevent the choke from sinking / Two-on-One Grip Fight — use both hands to strip the choking grip before it locks / Turn Into — rotate toward the choking arm to relieve carotid pressure / Posture Up — straighten the spine and create distance to break the choking angle.

What are the variants of the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

Common variants: Gi Ezekiel (uses the sleeve for the choking grip, traditional technique); No-gi Ezekiel (uses the fist or forearm across the throat without sleeve…); Reverse Ezekiel (applied from the bottom position when opponent is in your…).

How effective is the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish in competition?

Mounted sleeve-grip Ezekiel chokes are used in gi competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

Top errors to watch for: Not maintaining mount during the setup — the double-sleeve threading takes time; ensure mount is stable before commit… / Attempting with a sleeve that is too tight or short — the gi sleeve must accommodate both hands; overly fitted gi top… / Threading both hands from the same side — the hands must enter the sleeve from opposite ends to create the encircling… / Rising up to create the loop — stay low in mount; rising creates space for the opponent to escape.

What are other names for the Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish?

The Ezekiel Choke From Mount Sleeve Grip Finish is also known as Sode-guruma-jime — From Mount, Sleeve Grip Finish, Mount Sleeve-Grip Ezekiel, Sode-guruma from Mount — Sleeve Finish.

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