MOUNTED TRIANGLE

The mounted triangle is the figure-four leg strangulation executed from the top mount position, with the attacker's legs closing around the opponent's head and one trapped arm from above. The submission is structurally identical to the closed-guard triangle but is performed from a dominant top position rather than from underneath, which means the bottom player cannot use posture-breaking or hip-elevation as defensive options — the only defense is preventing the figure-four from closing, and once closed, the choke is essentially unescapable.

The entry is set up from S-mount: the attacker rotates to one side from high mount, threads one leg behind the opponent's head, and traps the same-side arm across the neck. The figure-four locks with the free leg over the threaded leg, and the finish comes from pivoting past 90 degrees and pulling the trapped shoulder toward the opposite knee, exactly as in the guard triangle. The mount position means gravity assists the finish rather than opposing it, which is why the mounted triangle typically finishes faster than its guard equivalent.

What makes the mounted triangle particularly devastating is its position within the three-attack chain (armbar, mounted triangle, arm triangle) that all share the same S-mount setup. The bottom player defending one threat opens another, and the attacker reads the defensive response and selects the corresponding finish. Roger Gracie's mount game featured this chain extensively, and Mica Galvao's modern IBJJF career has used it to win multiple major titles. The technique remains one of the highest-percentage chokes from mount in every ruleset that permits it.