3 Highest Percentage Submissions

The highest percentage submissions are not random techniques. They usually come from dominant positions, controlled transitions, or situations where the defender has already lost structure.

The submission is the final part. The work happens before that: back exposure, shoulder control, posture breaking, frame removal, head position, inside position, hip control, and angle.

For most BJJ athletes, the submissions worth building around first are the rear naked choke, armbar, and arm triangle.

Not because they are the only submissions that work. Because they connect directly to strong positions and repeatable control.

Rear Naked Choke

The rear naked choke sits at the top because it comes from back control.

Back control gives the attacker the strongest positional advantage in grappling. The defender is not facing the attacker. They have limited offensive options. Their main job is survival: protect the neck, clear the hooks, win the hand fight, rotate the shoulders, and get their back to the mat.

That creates time.

The rear naked choke should not be treated as a standalone neck attack. It is part of a back control system. Chest-to-back connection, head position, seatbelt control, wrist control, hook retention, body triangle mechanics, and hand fighting all matter before the finish is available.

Most failed rear naked chokes fail because the attacker rushes the neck and loses the position. They reach too early, lose chest connection, get too high on the back, or allow the defender to rotate their shoulders back to the mat.

The choke works when the attacker controls the position first. The defender's hands need to be occupied. Their shoulders need to stay turned away. The choking arm needs to enter cleanly. The finishing structure needs to close without giving space back.

The rear naked choke is high percentage because the position does most of the work.

Armbar

The armbar is high percentage because it attacks a clear mechanical weakness: the elbow joint once the shoulder line is controlled and the wrist is isolated.

It appears from multiple positions. Mount, closed guard, back control, side control transitions, and scrambles can all lead to the armbar. That makes it more valuable than a submission that only appears in one narrow situation.

The cleanest version to build first is the armbar from mount. Mount gives the attacker pressure and control before the submission starts. The goal is to separate the elbow from the body, control the shoulder, isolate the wrist, and keep the knees tight enough that the defender cannot turn, stack, or pull the arm free.

The armbar from guard requires more angle and posture control. If the defender keeps posture, the attack weakens. If the attacker creates angle and controls the shoulder, the armbar becomes part of a wider chain with triangle, omoplata, back take, or sweep options.

Most failed armbars fail before the hips extend. The attacker gives too much space, loses thumb orientation, crosses their feet without controlling the shoulder, leaves the knees loose, or falls back before the arm is properly isolated.

The finish is not the hard part. Holding the position under resistance is the hard part.

A good armbar should feel like control first and extension second.

Arm Triangle

The arm triangle belongs in the top group because it comes from top control.

It usually appears from mount, side control, half guard passing, or pressure sequences where the defender's frame has already been compromised. That matters. The attacker is not falling back or giving up position to chase the finish. They are applying a submission from a dominant top position.

The arm triangle works by isolating the defender's arm across their neck and closing the space with shoulder pressure, head position, and body angle. It is not an arm squeeze. If the attacker is just squeezing with their arms, the mechanics are wrong.

From mount, the arm triangle starts by forcing the elbow across the centre line. The attacker settles their weight, keeps the head low, removes the frame, and moves toward the correct angle without creating space.

From side control, the priority is head control and shoulder pressure. The defender's near-side frame has to be removed. The attacker needs to close the shoulder-to-neck space before trying to finish.

Most failed arm triangles are not actually chokes. They are just pressure. The attacker stays too high, leaves space near the neck, fails to isolate the shoulder line, or tries to finish before the defender's arm is properly trapped.

The value of the arm triangle is positional safety. If the finish fails, the attacker can usually return to mount, side control, or continue passing pressure. That makes it one of the better submissions for regular BJJ athletes to prioritise.

Why Triangle and Guillotine Are Not in the Top Three Here

Triangle and guillotine are both high-value submissions. They are worth learning.

They are not excluded because they are low percentage. They are excluded from this top three because they are more dependent on specific reactions, body type, rule set, and entry context.

The triangle is excellent when the attacker has strong guard retention, posture control, and angle creation. It also links well with armbar, omoplata, sweep, and re-guard. The issue is that poor triangle attacks often leave the attacker square, stacked, or stuck underneath a stronger top player.

The guillotine is excellent in no-gi, especially from front headlock, snap-downs, failed shots, scrambles, and wrestle-up exchanges. The issue is that it suits a more specific front headlock system. If the attacker does not understand head position, shoulder line, hip angle, and follow-up control, it becomes a grip-and-squeeze attempt.

Both belong in the wider submission game. They just come after the main three if the goal is to build around positional control first.

Training Priority

Start with back control and the rear naked choke.

Then build the armbar from mount and guard.

Then build the arm triangle from mount, side control, and passing pressure.

After that, add triangle, guillotine, kimura, and straight ankle lock as secondary systems.

The order matters because it teaches the right hierarchy. Control first. Position second. Finish third.

Do not collect submissions. Build attacks that connect to positions you can actually hold.

Bottom Line

The rear naked choke, armbar, and arm triangle are the best submissions to prioritise first.

They work because they are attached to strong positions: back control, mount, guard, side control, and top pressure.

A good submission game is not built by learning more finishes. It is built by creating better positions, removing defensive options, and finishing when the structure is already there.