Also referred to in BJJ as the "Mata Leao" 
The RNC is a peculiarly named but highly effective submission. To understand its somewhat dubious-sounding title, we have to go back to its usage in classical ju-jitsu and/or judo where the technique was referred to as hadaka jime, which literally means "naked strangle". In this context, 'naked' is referring to the fact that unlike many other strangles this variant does not require the use of a gi (those white pyjamas we wear!). This leads on to the second peculiarity in its name, the rear naked choke is not a choke at all, it is a strangle. The difference is that a choke cuts of the oxygen supply to the lungs whereas, a strangle cuts off the supply of blood to the brain.
By blocking the carotid arteries, this technique can render a person unconscious in less than eight seconds; prolonging the hold can lead to brain damage and death – in 2005, Rafiel Torre, a former MMA trainer and competitor, was convicted of murder after using the RNC to kill his lover's husband.
The RNC is used in a variety of martial arts classes and resulting injury is a rare occurrence. It should be mentioned however, that if applied improperly (occasionally, the military style 'V-grip'), can lead to a crushing of the trachea as well as causing the submission to act as an airway choke. Here’s Bas Rutten explaining the basics:
Once you've got it tightly locked in, the RNC is a fight finisher. However, taking someone's back can be quite a challenge – especially against grapplers who are well aware of the impending strangulation! Furthermore, once you obtain the Rear Mount, locking in the submission requires a strategy of its own (especially against stronger opponents who firmly grab hold of your arms) – this is where the following video by Stephan Kesting of Grapplearts.com is a godsend:
I’ve had a pretty lame week. Not only have I been unwell, unable to train, and stuck in the office for 16 hour shifts (no kidding!)…I’ve also been craving a particular type of cupcake, which I just can’t seem to find! However, this made it all better for me.
On March 8th, Shinya Aoki and David Gardner duked it out in Saitama (Japan) for the opening round of the Dream 7 Featherweight Grand Prix. Aoki (“The Baka Survivor”) has already made a huge name for himself, and Gardner (forevermore known as "Hello Japan") isn’t completely unknown either.
The Dream 7 event failed to pull in high viewer ratings, but the fight finisher between Aoki and Gardner will be on highlight reels for years to come.
Wow…
Look at it this way, at least Gardner got to say hello before the fight ended (I love the fact that the commentator says “Goodbye Japan!” during the tap out)!
A neck crank (or a ‘cervical lock’ for the pedantic amongst you) is a spinal lock applied to the cervical spine (your neck) by pushing, pulling or twisting it in a direction it doesn’t want to go. ‘Clickity clack’ is usually a sound associated with a successful neck crank and while in the grander scheme of things, only a small percentage of submissions are the result of a neck crank, they remain feared due to their potential to cause serious injury (…no explanation needed).
There are a wide variety of neck cranks in most martial arts and all are fairly dangerous. Most BJJ competitions forbid cranking the neck although it is still permitted in Judo, Wrestling and other grappling competitions. The technique is often used by beginners as well as advanced practitioners as its application can be as simple as the ‘Can Opener’ or more complex like the ‘Twister’ (otherwise known as the wrestlers’ Guillotine) or the Crucifix Neck Crank.
Here’s a video tutorial by Submissions 101 of the basic 'Can Opener' neck crank:
Key Points to Remember:
- A fairly low percentage submission; consider using it to break someone’s guard.
- Keep both your elbows tucked close to one another on your opponent’s chest.
Traditionally, the can opener has a relatively low success rate. In most instances, people use it to break someone’s Closed Guard. That said, it is remarkably simple to apply and I’ve been caught in it (usually when I’m stuck under someone’s Mount) more times than I care to mention (look at the title of this post to get an idea how the neck crank plagues me!)!
Below Bas Rutten demonstrates another neck crank from Side Control (technically, Scarf Control). A senior at my gym loves this move, and speaking from experience – it is ridiculously painful. An alternative counter to that explained by Bas in the video is to pull the knee of your free leg up by the side of your head and then kick it up and drop it in front of your opponent’s face/neck and push out (there’s a submission here if you angle yourself correctly).
