Machado Black Belt Techniques

The Machado family is one of the premier lineages of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or BJJ. The Machado lineage originated with former world champion Rigan Machado, who studied under Carlos Gracie. From Rigan, Brazilian jiu-jitsu was passed on to the rest of the Machado family, eventually resulting in the founding of the Machado schools. Machado schools are common in the United States. In addition to Rigan, Machado BJJ champions include Carlos Machado and Jean-Jaques Machado.

  1. Gi Choke from the Guard

    • Holding your opponent in the guard, pass his lower lapel under his arm and behind his back, grabbing with your opposite-side hand behind his neck. Switch hands so you are holding the lapel with the same-side hand, but with the lapel wrapped around the far side of the opponent's neck, exerting leverage and force. From here you can execute a choke by crossing your free hand over to grab the opposite shoulder or gi lapel and squeezing. If the opponent places a hand near the neck to block, instead use the free hand to grab the opponent's belt on the far side of his back, using the gi hold to propel you around to take the back position for greater advantage.

    Baseball Choke from Side Control

    • When holding the opponent in side control, jump up to take the standard knee-on-belly position. If you are on your opponent's left side, your left knee is now on the opponent's belly, with your right leg out and providing stability. Take your left hand and grab your opponent's collar with your palm up, as deep behind the opposite side of the neck as possible. With your right hand take the collar from behind the neck on your same side. You now should have a very stable position, and can make your opponent very uncomfortable by pulling up at the collars. To execute the choke, maintain the hold, drop down and rotate your body around the opponent's head, bringing your left forearm down across the throat and dropping your hips, applying your full weight. If the opponent defends with his hands, it is easy to reassume the knee-on-belly positions to maintain control.

    Half-Guard Arm Submission

    • When held in the opponent's half guard, pass your hand under and behind his head to hold the opposite-side shoulder and anchor your position. Work to free his opposite-side lapel from his belt. If the opponent crosses his opposite-side arm over to push you away, pass his freed lapel over his forearm, preferably as close to the wrist as possible. Pass the lapel to the hand that is positioned behind his head. The opponent's arm should now be pinned close to his body in a bent position. Passing your free hand, the one closer to the opponent's waist, under his elbow, switch hands holding the lapel. Remove your other arm from behind the opponent's head, to now go above and across his head, grabbing the pinned wrist. Press down with this hand, while simultaneously lifting with your arm that holds his lapel, producing torsion on the arm, and a submission.

    Brabo Choke

    • This choke can be executed from side control, from knee-on-belly position or while held in the half guard. Pass your hand under and behind your opponent's head as in the section 3 technique. Freeing the opponent's opposite-side lapel, pass it to the hand positioned behind the head. This position should be very stable. Cross your free hand under your body while pulling with your other hand to bring the lapel up and behind the opponent's neck. Switch hands holding the lapel. If you are positioned on the opponent's right side, your right hand should now be holding the lapel near his neck. Now pass your free hand across the front of his neck to grab deep into his collar, or around the upper shoulder. Pressure the neck with both arms to apply the choke.