Dominate with 100% Control: Essential BJJ Submission Techniques from Pro Grappler Bibiano Fernandes

Why Control is King in BJJ Submissions

In the high-stakes world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), landing a submission is thrilling, but keeping your opponent locked down until the tap is what separates contenders from champions. Charles 'Bibiano' Fernandes, a legendary BJJ black belt and MMA veteran, shares game-changing strategies from Gracie Mag to maintain total dominance during submission attacks. Whether you're rolling in the gym, competing in a BJJ tournament, or integrating these into your MMA game, mastering control ensures no escapes.

These techniques apply across grappling arts like wrestling, submission grappling, and even no-gi scenarios in MMA. Gear up with a reliable gi or rash guard from Apollo MMA to enhance your grips and mobility—then dive into these pro-level tips!

Armbar from Guard: Lock It Down Tight

The armbar from closed guard is a cornerstone submission, but opponents love bridging and shrimping out. Bibiano emphasizes posture and hip pressure to neutralize escapes.

Key Control Steps:

Establish Dominant Posture: Sit tall with your chest up, shoulders back, and elbows tight to your body. This prevents your foe from posting their hand or framing your hips.
Grip the Target Arm: Secure a deep collar tie on the non-attacking arm while isolating the target limb with your legs. Squeeze your knees together for vise-like control.
Hip Elevation and Squeeze: Lift your hips explosively while pulling the arm across your midline. Keep constant pressure on the shoulder joint—don't let it slip back.
Counter the Bridge: If they bridge, post your free hand on their chest or hip and drive downward. Rotate your hips to off-balance them further.

Pro Tip: In no-gi MMA, swap gi grips for underhooks or wrist control. Fighters like Bibiano use this to transition seamlessly into armbar chains against strikers. Practice with a sturdy mat and quality mouthguard from your Apollo MMA collection to stay safe during intense drills.

Triangle Choke: Seal the Deal from All Angles

Triangles are submission gold, but base recovery and posture breaks are common defenses. Maintain 100% control by controlling the posture and posture early.

Breakdown for Success:

Posture Breaker: From guard, break their posture with a two-on-one grip, pulling their head to your chest. This sets up the leg weave.
Leg Lock-In: Feed your knee through while securing the ankle behind the knee. Squeeze your thighs like a python—power comes from hip positioning, not just leg strength.
Arm Drag and Finish: Drag the trapped arm across with your opposite hand, then pull your shin to your forehead for the figure-four lock. Elbows in to block posture recovery.
Handle the Stack: If they stack, shrimp your hips out and swing your free leg over for a mounted triangle. Keep your weight centered to avoid rollouts.

Real-World Application: In Muay Thai or kickboxing sparring transitioning to ground, this control prevents clinch breaks. Add a compression rash guard for better leg slide and grip—available at Apollo MMA.

Americana Shoulder Lock: Torque Without Mercy

The americana from mount or side control shreds shoulders, but wrist-fighting ruins it. Bibiano's method focuses on elbow pinning and figure-four grips.

Step-by-Step Domination:

Isolate the Arm: From side control, trap the far arm with your chest while cupping the wrist. Figure-four your arm over theirs for leverage.
Elbow to Hip Control: Pin their elbow to your hip bone— this immobilizes the shoulder and prevents peels.
Torque and Posture: Rotate your elbow upward while driving your shoulder down. Keep your head low on their chest to block frames.
Escape Proofing: If they bridge, bait it and roll into a gift-wrap for more attacks.

Training Hack: Drill this slow and controlled to build feel. Wrestling athletes love it for its pinning similarity—pair with wrestling shoes for footwork drills.

Kimura Grip Attacks: Reverse and Conquer

Kimuras (double wrist locks) demand wrist control and hip swivel. Loose grips lead to strips—Bibiano fixes that with these tweaks.

Control Essentials:

Deep Wrist Grips: Cup the wrist palm-up, thumb on top for max control. Figure-four your arms tightly.
Hip Pressure: Drive your hip into their elbow while peeling the arm back. Keep it parallel to their body.
Counter Spins: If they roll, follow with your hips and switch to a straight armbar.

MMA Tie-In: Perfect for wrestling-heavy fights—control the arm to deny takedown setups.

Omoplata Sweep and Submit

Omoplatas blend sweep and sub, but escapes via framing abound. Lock eyes on shoulder elevation.

Execution Flow:

Guard Retention: Elevate hips, swing leg high over shoulder, grip belt or tricep.
Shoulder Crunch: Pull arm while bridging hips up—keep elbow trapped.
Finish or Chain: Rotate to back take or tighten for tap.

Guillotine from Guard: Front Headlock Mastery

Guillotines shine in scrambles, but posture pops them open.

Bulletproof Setup:

Head Pull: Collar drag to low posture, feed arm under neck.
Figure-Four Chinstrap: Lock with forearm across throat, squeeze elbows.
Guard Close: Shrimp and close guard to kill base.

Versatility: Core for BJJ, wrestling, and MMA guard passing defense.

General Principles for 100% Control

Bibiano's overarching advice:

Posture Always: Chest up, base wide.

Grips Like Glue: Adapt gi/no-gi.

Hip Mobility: Key to all adjustments.

Drill Transitions: Chain subs to prevent resets.

Incorporate these into your routine for unbeatable finishes. Gear from Apollo MMA—like durable gis and supportive shorts—boosts your edge. Train hard, stay controlled, and tap 'em out!

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