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Von Flue Choke: The Guillotine Counter Guide
The Von Flue choke punishes a defended guillotine instead of abandoning it. Here is how to convert a stuffed attempt into a fight-ending finish.
What the Von Flue Choke Does
The Von Flue choke is a compression choke that punishes an opponent for successfully defending a guillotine attempt — instead of losing the position when they pull their head free and post it against your shoulder, you drive forward and pin their neck against your own body, finishing the choke a completely different way than the guillotine you started with.
Where It Comes From
The technique is named for Jon Van Flue, who finished a fight this way after his own guillotine attempt was defended. It has since become a standard part of the guillotine family for exactly that reason: it turns what most grapplers treat as a failed attempt into a real second chance at the same exchange.
The Setup
- Attempt a standard front-headlock guillotine grip, arm wrapped around your opponent's neck.
- When they defend by posting their head against your shoulder or chest to relieve the choking pressure, do not release the grip.
- Instead, drive your weight forward and down, pinning their neck between your shoulder and their own posted position.
- Their own defensive posting motion becomes the thing that closes the choke, compressing the blood flow in the neck against your shoulder rather than through your gripping arm.
Why It Works When the Guillotine Doesn't
A guillotine relies on your arm squeezing the neck directly, which a well-defended posture and posted head can neutralize. The Von Flue choke instead uses your opponent's own defensive weight distribution against them — the harder they post to escape the original choke, the tighter the compression against your shoulder becomes. Their best defense against the first choke is exactly what sets up the second one.
Common Mistakes
- Releasing the original guillotine grip the moment it's defended, abandoning the position instead of converting it.
- Failing to drive forward with real body weight, relying on the arm alone the same way a failed guillotine attempt does.
- Losing base during the transition, letting a defending opponent scramble free before the compression sets.
Defending the Von Flue Choke
The defense starts before the choke does — once you post your head to defend a guillotine, be ready to continue moving rather than settling into that posted position. Circling your head and shoulder away from the pressure, rather than staying still after the initial defense, denies the compression the time it needs to set.
Where It Fits
The Von Flue choke is best understood as a direct follow-up to a failed guillotine rather than a standalone attack — it belongs in the same mental sequence as any front-headlock exchange, alongside the d'arce and anaconda chokes that live in the same scrambles.
Tagged with:#von flue choke#guillotine#no-gi#submissions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Von Flue choke?
A compression choke that converts a defended guillotine attempt into a finish, pinning the opponent's neck against your own shoulder using their own defensive posting motion rather than continuing to squeeze with your arm.
Why does the Von Flue choke work after a guillotine fails?
Because it uses the opponent's defensive weight distribution against them — the harder they post their head to escape the guillotine, the tighter the compression against your shoulder becomes.
Is the Von Flue choke legal in competition?
Yes, it is treated as a standard blood and compression choke with no specific restriction, since it works through neck compression rather than joint rotation or spinal cranking.
How do you defend the Von Flue choke?
Keep moving your head and shoulder after posting to defend the original guillotine, rather than settling into that posted position, since staying still is exactly what gives the compression time to set.
About the Author
Mohsin AyubBJJ practitioner, 6 years — Gracie Barra
Founder & Editor, BJJ Sportswear
Mohsin has trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for six years at Gracie Barra and has competed at IBJJF-affiliated tournaments. He writes about competition, gear, and athlete careers, and founded BJJ Sportswear to help grapplers find equipment and information they can trust.
- Six years training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Barra
- Competed at IBJJF-affiliated tournaments
- Writes on BJJ competition, gear testing, and athlete careers
This article was last reviewed and updated on 2026-08-18.