Type: Shoulder Lock
Rarity: Most Common (Seen in Every Class & Competition)
The Kimura is a shoulder lock submission used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Judo, MMA, and submission grappling. It involves a double wrist-lock grip, where the practitioner isolates the opponent’s arm, controls their wrist with one hand, and threads the other arm through to grip their own wrist. By rotating the opponent’s arm behind their back at an unnatural angle, immense pressure is applied to the shoulder joint, forcing a tap or causing serious damage if not released.
The Kimura lock can be executed from multiple positions, including guard, side control, half guard, and even standing. It is a powerful and versatile submission, often used to control an opponent while transitioning to a dominant position or finishing the fight outright. The key to a successful Kimura is securing the double wrist lock and applying controlled torque on the opponent’s shoulder.
In MMA, the Kimura is particularly effective because it not only serves as a submission but also as a way to control an opponent on the ground, making it a useful tool for grapplers against strikers.
The Kimura is named after the legendary Masahiko Kimura, a Judo champion who famously used the technique to defeat Hélio Gracie in 1951. During their match in Brazil, Kimura applied the shoulder lock with such force that it broke Hélio’s arm, forcing his corner to throw in the towel. After this fight, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners began referring to the submission as the Kimura Lock, honoring the Judoka who showcased its devastating effectiveness.
Although the technique itself predates Kimura, it was already present in Japanese Jujutsu and Judo, where it was known as "ude garami" (arm entanglement). However, it wasn’t widely recognized in the West until the Gracie-Kimura match.
In modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Kimura has evolved into a versatile and strategic submission, commonly used in both gi and no-gi competitions. Grapplers have developed numerous setups, including from closed guard, half guard, side control, and even standing Kimuras.
In MMA, the Kimura remains a high-percentage submission, frequently used by fighters such as Kazushi Sakuraba (who famously used it to submit multiple Gracie family members), Frank Mir, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Today, the Kimura is one of the most effective and widely used shoulder locks in grappling, self-defense, and MMA, offering both a submission threat and positional control.