Russian Tie (2-on-1): BJJ Wrestling Control

Intermediate · Gi & No-Gi · Arm Control

The Russian tie (2-on-1 grip) is one of the most dominant arm control positions in wrestling and BJJ. When you control their arm with both of your hands, they cannot use that arm to attack, defend, or base — creating a major advantage in the tie-up.

Contents

Russian Tie Setup

Enter the Russian tie by controlling their wrist and transitioning to an inside position on their arm, with both of your hands controlling their single arm.

Establish wrist control with your near hand
Step your body to the outside of their controlled arm
Your far hand reaches across to hold their elbow/upper arm
You now have 2-on-1 control from an outside angle

💡 Pro Tip: The key to Russian tie is maintaining inside position with your body. If they turn into you to recover, step back to the outside.

Takedown Attacks from Russian Tie

Single Leg Entry

Use the Russian tie to control their arm while dropping into a single leg. Their compromised balance makes the single leg easier to finish.

Arm Drag to Back

From Russian tie, execute a 2-on-1 arm drag to step behind and take the back. The 2-on-1 gives more leverage than a standard arm drag.

Trip or Throw

Use the Russian tie arm control to set up a trip (front trip or outside trip) or a lateral drop throw by leveraging their arm weakness.

Defending the Russian Tie

Step in the direction of their pull, spin to face them, and re-engage with a collar tie or underhook. Avoid being isolated to the side of the controlled arm.

No-Gi Application

In no-gi, the Russian tie uses wrist and tricep control instead of sleeves. The mechanics are identical but the grip points change.