Collar Tie

The collar tie is foundational across wrestling (freestyle, folkstyle, Greco-Roman), BJJ, Judo, and MMA. It represents one of the first grips taught in standing grappling and remains relevant at all skill levels.

The controlling hand wraps around the back of the neck with fingers positioned behind the head and the palm pressing against the cervical spine. Effective collar tie control requires the elbow to stay tight and pointed toward the ground, creating a lever that breaks the opponent's posture forward. The grip should be active rather than static—constantly adjusting pressure and angle to maintain dominance in the tie-up exchange.

From the collar tie, practitioners can execute snap-downs to drive the opponent's head toward the mat, set up level changes for takedowns, create angles for throws, or transition to other controlling positions such as the underhook or two-on-one. The position also serves defensively, allowing the controlling athlete to frame distance and prevent the opponent from achieving their own dominant grips.