The Ezekiel choke is a well-known and effective submission technique. However, many practitioners may not know the true origin of its name. Legendary martial artist Renzo Gracie recently shared the fascinating backstory of how this submission got its name.
According to Gracie, the Ezekiel choke is named after a judoka from Brazil’s Olympic team. Ezekiel, described by Gracie as “one of the best athletes Brazil ever produced,” became famous in the Jiu-Jitsu community for visiting various academies and submitting skilled practitioners with this particular choke—a technique that was unfamiliar to many BJJ practitioners at the time.
Gracie recounts his own experience with Ezekiel during his days as a brown belt. After studying ways to defend against the judoka’s signature move, Gracie eagerly challenged him when he appeared at his academy. Despite the significant weight difference—Gracie at approximately 140 pounds versus Ezekiel at about 205—they engaged in an intense 20-minute roll.
While Gracie successfully defended against Ezekiel’s namesake submission, he was eventually caught with a different technique. Following an unexpected power outage, they resumed their session, and this time Gracie managed to submit Ezekiel multiple times in quick succession. This led to a friendship between the two, with Ezekiel asking for help with his weaknesses.
Through this relationship, Gracie began studying the Ezekiel choke extensively. He expanded upon the original technique, developing variations that could be executed from various positions—side control, guard, half guard—making it even more versatile than the original version Ezekiel himself employed.
The Ezekiel choke’s effectiveness, as Gracie explains, lies in its ability to control an opponent’s neck and consequently their entire body. “Once your neck doesn’t move, your lower body cannot follow,” Gracie noted during his demonstration.
This revelation about the submission’s namesake adds a rich historical context to a technique that continues to be a staple in modern grappling arts. Far from being a biblical reference as some might have assumed, the Ezekiel choke stands as a testament to the cross-pollination between judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and how individual innovators can leave their mark on martial arts history.
