What is the reverse triangle in BJJ?

The reverse triangle is a figure-four leg strangulation executed from a side-on angle, typically from side control or kesa-gatame. Unlike the conventional triangle, the attacker's legs close around the opponent's head and one trapped arm from above.

How do you set up the reverse triangle?

The entry is established when the top player has secured side control or kesa-gatame and the bottom player's far arm has been pulled across or under their own neck. The attacker then swings the far-side leg over the head and closes the figure-four with the near-side leg.

Who are notable practitioners of the reverse triangle?

Notable practitioners include Demian Maia, Tainan Dalpra, and Mikey Musumeci. Demian Maia used the technique to finish Chael Sonnen at UFC 95, and Tainan Dalpra has used it in IBJJF competition.

What are common mistakes when attempting the reverse triangle?

Common mistakes include attempting the choke without trapping the far arm, swinging the leg too far and exposing the back, and failing to rotate the hips downward. Other errors involve closing the figure-four with the wrong leg or lacking sufficient flexibility.

How can you defend against the reverse triangle?

Defensively, you can escape by preventing the arm from being trapped across the neck, hand-fighting the leg-swing before the figure-four locks, or walking the hips perpendicular to the attacker to disrupt the angle.

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REVERSE TRIANGLE

Triângulo Invertido

In Short

The reverse triangle is an advanced figure-four leg strangulation executed from top positions like side control or kesa-gatame. It involves trapping the opponent's far arm and swinging the leg over their head to compress the carotid artery from above.

Also known as: Inverted Triangle, Side Triangle

The reverse triangle is the figure-four leg strangulation executed from a side-on angle, with the attacker's legs closing around the opponent's head and one trapped arm from above rather than from the guard's front position. Unlike the conventional triangle, the reverse triangle is set up from top position — typically from side control or kesa-gatame — and the attacker's body is rotated so that the choking leg's calf compresses the carotid from the opposite side of the conventional triangle's anatomy.

The entry is established when the top player has secured side control or kesa-gatame and the bottom player's far arm has been pulled across or under the bottom player's own neck — typically as part of an arm-triangle setup. The attacker swings the far-side leg over the bottom player's head from the kesa-gatame angle, closes the figure-four with the near-side leg, and rotates the hips downward to finish with the calf compressing the far carotid against the bottom player's own shoulder.

The reverse triangle's status is unusual among modern submissions: it is one of the highest-level finishes in the BJJ library — taught at black belt, requiring substantial flexibility — but it is also a common transitional submission in MMA, where the kesa-gatame style of top control naturally exposes the configuration. Tainan Dalpra has used the reverse triangle in IBJJF competition; in MMA the technique has finished multiple title fights including Demian Maia's submission of Chael Sonnen at UFC 95. Defensively the technique is escaped by preventing the arm from being trapped across the neck in the first place, by hand-fighting the leg-swing before the figure-four locks, or by walking the hips perpendicular to the attacker to disrupt the angle.

KEY POINTS

01Set up from side control or kesa-gatame with the bottom player's far arm trapped near the neck.
02Swing the far-side leg over the bottom player's head from above.
03Close the figure-four with the near-side leg over the swinging leg.
04Rotate hips downward to compress the calf onto the far carotid.
05Finish by squeezing the knees and walking the hips perpendicular.

COMMON MISTAKES

✕Attempting the reverse triangle without first trapping the far arm.
✕Swinging the leg over too far, exposing the back to a counter.
✕Failing to rotate the hips downward, leaving the calf above the carotid.
✕Closing the figure-four with the wrong leg on top, weakening the squeeze.
✕Trying the technique without sufficient flexibility for the leg swing.

TRAINING DRILLS

→Arm-trap setup reps: drill the kesa-gatame arm-trap that exposes the reverse triangle entry.
→Leg-swing-from-above drill: 20 reps per side of the leg swinging over the head from side control.
→Hip-rotation drill: focus on the downward hip motion that completes the choke.
→Reverse-triangle-to-armbar flow: when the choke stalls, drill the transition to a far-arm armbar.
→Live side-control rolling with reverse triangle as the only allowed finish.

NOTABLE PRACTITIONERS

Demian Maia · Tainan Dalpra · Mikey Musumeci

Frequently Asked

What is the reverse triangle in BJJ?: The reverse triangle is a figure-four leg strangulation executed from a side-on angle, typically from side control or kesa-gatame. Unlike the conventional triangle, the attacker's legs close around the opponent's head and one trapped arm from above.
How do you set up the reverse triangle?: The entry is established when the top player has secured side control or kesa-gatame and the bottom player's far arm has been pulled across or under their own neck. The attacker then swings the far-side leg over the head and closes the figure-four with the near-side leg.
Who are notable practitioners of the reverse triangle?: Notable practitioners include Demian Maia, Tainan Dalpra, and Mikey Musumeci. Demian Maia used the technique to finish Chael Sonnen at UFC 95, and Tainan Dalpra has used it in IBJJF competition.
What are common mistakes when attempting the reverse triangle?: Common mistakes include attempting the choke without trapping the far arm, swinging the leg too far and exposing the back, and failing to rotate the hips downward. Other errors involve closing the figure-four with the wrong leg or lacking sufficient flexibility.
How can you defend against the reverse triangle?: Defensively, you can escape by preventing the arm from being trapped across the neck, hand-fighting the leg-swing before the figure-four locks, or walking the hips perpendicular to the attacker to disrupt the angle.