The baseball bat choke is a submission that gets its name from how the attacker grips the collars as he would hold a baseball bat. This is a highly effective submission that has caught many good jujitsu players, including Saulo Ribeiro in the 2001 mundials. The power of the technique come from the spinning motion that tightens this noose like choke. However, this move can be very difficult to set in against an aware opponent. If you try for this move directly, your opponent is likely to prevent your grips or pull down on your elbow to prevent the choking pressure. This is why I like to following setup. By shifting your body towards your opponent’s head, you will give him the feeling that he can push you off him. As he tries to do so, he opens his neck for your 2nd grip period from here, his arms are out of defensive position, and you can easily circle his body to finish the submission.
Step 1
Hold your opponent inside control position. Let your right hold hand a loose collar grip with your thumb on the inside of your opponents lapel.
Step 2
Shuffle your body to your right, your opponent naturally will react by extending their arms to push you away from them. Allow them to assist your side movement until you get to their head.
Step 3
With your posture high on your opponent’s head and their arms preoccupied with your weight wait, you can easily grab their right collar with your left hand. Your left hand takes a grip with 4 fingers to the inside.
Step 4
Drop your left elbow towards the mat, it’s the mat, forcing the blade of your forearm across your opponent’s neck. When you do this, begin circling your legs to the right and your head to the left. Drop your left elbow towards the mat, it’s the mat, forcing the blade of your forearm across your opponent’s neck. When you do this, begin circling your legs to the right and your head to the left.
Step 5
To finish this submission, drop your head onto your opponent’s left side while pulling up on your right side hand and down with your left.