ABOUT THE SUBMISSION
The Buggy Choke is a flashy, unorthodox submission typically applied from bottom side control. It uses a unique combination of arm and leg mechanics—looping your arm under your own knee while locking your legs into a triangle to trap your opponent’s neck and arm against your ribcage. Once secured, the pressure from your lats, thigh, and arm creates a tight choke, often compressing the carotid arteries enough to induce unconsciousness.


ORIGINS & EVOLUTION
Austin Hardt, a 10th Planet BJJ black belt, is credited with developing the original version of the Buggy Choke in the early 2010s among rubber guard practitioners. It started as a quirky, experimental move before gaining traction online.
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The move became more widely known thanks to Kade Ruotolo, who successfully pulled it off in high-profile grappling events like Combat Jiu-Jitsu—earning Submission of the Year at the 2020 Jitsmagazine BJJ Awards.


INTERESTING FACTS
The name “Buggy Choke” comes from the scrunched, compact posture the bottom player assumes during execution—it’s like being crammed into a baby buggy.

It flips a common BJJ script: instead of being purely defensive from bottom side control, you're suddenly offensive—turning a seemingly passive position into a submission trap.

Its rise to popularity has forced top-level grapplers to stay aware even when dominating positionally—especially in side control.


HOW IT WORKS
Identify the Window: While in bottom side control, wait for your opponent’s posture to drop or them to settle in.

Lock the Trap: Angle your body toward them. Bring your same-side leg up over their back towards your head, while bringing your arm behind that knee, almost like delivering an uppercut under it. Lock your arm and knee area together.

Form the Triangle: If flexibility allows, align your legs into a triangle. Grip the shin or ankle tightly, and secure a gable grip with your hands.

Crunch & Finish: Engage your lats, crunch your torso into them, drop your heel—or keep your legs tight—and squeeze. This constricts neck blood flow, often resulting in unconsciousness.


FINAL THOUGHTS
The Buggy Choke is one of modern BJJ’s most creative and high-risk, high-reward submissions. It’s rare, visually striking, and symbolically modern—showing how the bottom position can still be a place of danger, not just survival. Its rise from quirky gym experiment to competition staple reflects how BJJ continues to evolve with innovative minds.