Von Flue
Choke
The guillotine killer. When they hold the guillotine too long, make them choke themselves with their own grip.
Their Grip
Becomes The Trap.
The Von Flue turns a bad situation into a finish. Pass guard while they guillotine you, then use shoulder pressure to make their own grip choke them out.
Don’t Panic
When they lock the guillotine, don’t fight the grip. Instead, focus on passing to side control. The pass is your escape AND your attack.
Pass To Side Control
Get to side control on the SAME SIDE as their choking arm. Keep your head trapped in their grip—you want it there now.
Shoulder Pressure
Drive your shoulder INTO their neck. Their own arm (the guillotine grip) is trapped against their neck. You compress both sides.
3 Scenarios.
Same Finish.
The Von Flue appears whenever someone holds a guillotine too long. Recognize the opportunity.
Guard Pass
Von Flue
They catch the guillotine from guard. Instead of defending, pass to side control while they squeeze. Now their grip works against them.
Standing
Von Flue
They catch a standing guillotine. Drive through them to the mat, landing in side control. Their guillotine is now the Von Flue setup.
Turtle
Von Flue
From turtle, they lock a front headlock/guillotine. Circle toward them and drive through to side control. Shoulder into neck.
The
Shoulder
Crush
Once in side control, your shoulder becomes a weapon. Drive it into their neck while their guillotine grip traps their arm against the other side.
-
Stay Head-In
Keep your head in their guillotine grip. Don’t try to escape—their grip is what makes this work.
-
Drop The Shoulder
Drive your shoulder (the one on the guillotine side) DOWN into their neck. Use body weight, not arm strength.
-
Sprawl Back
Walk your hips back (sprawl) to increase the downward pressure. The more you sprawl, the tighter the choke.
3 Mistakes
That Kill Your Von Flue
Escaping The Guillotine
If you fight to free your head, you lose the Von Flue. Their grip is what makes this choke work. Stay in the guillotine and pass.
Wrong Side
You must pass to the SAME side as their choking arm. If you go to the opposite side, your shoulder won’t compress their neck properly.
No Sprawl
Staying too close reduces the shoulder pressure. Sprawl your hips BACK to drive your weight through your shoulder into their neck.
4 Entry
Windows
The Von Flue is always a counter. Look for these situations where they hold the guillotine too long.
Failed Guard Guillotine
They catch guillotine from guard. Pass while they squeeze—don’t defend.
Standing Guillotine
They guillotine from standing. Drive through to the mat and land in side control.
Half Guard Top
They guillotine from half guard. Clear the leg and establish side control.
Front Headlock Escape
They have front headlock. Circle and drive to side control. Von Flue.
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