What is a Von Flue choke?

The Von Flue choke is a shoulder choke that punishes someone who keeps a guillotine grip after you pass their guard into side control. It is named after UFC fighter Jason Von Flue, who popularized the finish. Their own arms lock their head in place while your shoulder and body weight cut blood flow through the neck. How it works: they have a guillotine (usually from guard or half guard). You pass to the side of the choking arm and settle into side control without letting them pull you back into closed guard. Keep your near shoulder driven into the side of their neck, post or control their far hip so they cannot turn into you, and sprawl your hips heavy toward their head. Do not peel their hands off. The grip that was attacking you becomes the cage that finishes them. Common cues: pass to the correct side (the side of their choking arm), keep your head position tight so they cannot re-guillotine deeply, and be patient for a few seconds under heavy shoulder pressure. Escape for the bottom player is simple in theory: release the guillotine early once the pass is clear, then frame and recover guard. When to look for it: anytime you clear their legs while they are still locked on a guillotine. It is a high-percentage “turn their attack into yours” submission in both gi and no-gi, and a classic teaching example for why holding submissions too long after a pass is dangerous.