
Two Chokes from Side Control
Side Control isn’t one of those positions that offers as many choke opportunities as other positions.
But, in the video below, Kurt Osiander offers two chokes. First, he demonstrates the spin choke. Then, if his opponent defends the spin, Osiander shows us how to transition to a paper cutter.
Osiander begins in side control, with his left arm under his opponent’s head and wrapping around to his far armpit. Osiander’s right arm is by his opponent’s right hip.
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Osiander sets up the spin choke by pulling his left arm back from his opponent’s armpit and catching the back of his opponent’s collar, with his thumb inside the collar where the label would be.
Osiander then moves his right hand into position. He slips his right arm across his opponent’s chest but under his arm. Once he reaches the lapel, he slips his four fingers into his opponent’s lapel.
As soon as he has secured both grips, Osiander throws his head toward his opponent’s belly button to begin tightening the choke.
He then walks around to a North/South position to tighten the choke and secure the tap.
After demonstrating the spin choke, Osiander moves on to Plan B. This is what happens when his opponent defends the spin choke by blocking the spin with his right arm placed between Osiander’s arms and against his face.
To transition to the paper cutter, Osiander has to basically switch sides with each hand.
He first leans into the arm his opponent has put up to defend the spin choke. He wants to trap that arm between his chest and his opponents.
Then, Osiander removes his right, “palm up” hand, brings it around his opponent’s pinned arm, and runs it up alongside his opponent’s body to grab his opponent’s collar with four fingers in and the thumb out.
Next, Osiander switches the other hand. The left, “thumb in” hand moves underneath his opponent’s trapped arm and toward the far collar.
Going thumb in and very deep into the collar with his left hand, Osiander then begins to flatten his body against the floor to tighten the choke and get the submission. To cinch the choke even tighter, Osiander then leans his left elbow toward his opponent’s right ear.
For those times when getting into mount isn’t an option, these chokes offer a couple of slick attacks from side control. Watch the entire video below:

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