Dr. Deng

Every BJJ practitioner knows these 5 gi chokes from mount. They're simple, straightforward, and more importantly, they can be used to set up stronger submissions, such as armbar, triangle, and arm-triangle choke. But where did they REALLY come from?

Judo. Or to be more precise: Japanese Jiu-Jitsu.

In this video, Marleen breaks down all 5 chokes—their BJJ names, their original Judo names, and what those Japanese names actually mean in English.

3 days ago | [YT] | 5

Dr. Deng

A small scratch from a long fingernail during BJJ gi training led to a severe Group A Streptococcus infection that nearly got out of control. This is my cautionary tale for every grappler who steps on the mats.

What happened:

A tiny cut on my ankle (an area my gi pants couldn't cover) from someone's untrimmed nail.

Within days, the infection spread from my ankle → shin → calf → upper leg → toward my torso.

My left lower leg swelled to nearly twice the size of my right.

The pain was so severe I couldn't walk. Hospital admission → IV antibiotics → minor surgery to rule out necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating bacteria).

Wounds left open to drain fluid and relieve pressure.

The good news: The infection is now under control with antibiotics, and I'm recovering at home. But I still need to clean the wounds myself and wear a compression sock until fully healed.

4 days ago | [YT] | 2

Dr. Deng

You already voted… now see if you were right..

In my last community poll, I asked:
“Can I survive 5 minutes of Marleen’s knee-on-belly without tapping?” For those who don’t know, Marleen is a judo black belt and BJJ purple belt—and her top pressure is no joke. Once she gets knee-on-belly, it’s not just uncomfortable… it’s survival mode, every second gets worse, every mistake gets punished.

So the challenge is simple:
- 5 minutes
- No tapping
- Maximum pressure

Can I actually survive… or will I break before the time runs out? Watch until the end to find out!

Subscribe for more BJJ fun techniques, rolls, and challenges.

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 5

Dr. Deng

Can I survive 5 minutes of Marleen’s Knee-on-Belly without tapping?

Marleen has a judo black belt’s top pressure. I’m 5’7”, 140lbs, and live on bottom against heavier training partners. My defense is better than average… but is that enough? Please vote below (and subscribe so you don’t miss the full 5-minute war):

1 week ago | [YT] | 5

Dr. Deng

You've probably seen Marleen and I roll without the gi many times. But this time, we decided to put the gi on.

Marleen has been training Judo since she was seven. Her grips are… well, you'll see. I'm much smaller and lighter. Without the gi, that doesn't feel like a big deal. With the gi? Her ability to pin and control is significantly different.

This is just one full round. From stand-up to the ground. No coaching. I'm not going to tell you what happens. Watch and see for yourself. The gi changes a lot more than you think.

Thanks for watching. If you're curious about the difference between gi and no-gi rolling, or how judo grips translate to BJJ, this round might show you something.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 5

Dr. Deng

WHO WILL WIN THIS BJJ SPAR in GI?

Me vs. Marleen – full round, starting standing, ending on the ground, gi on🥋

But here’s the twist:
Marleen just had TWO surgeries last month – and she’s already back to sparring with me like a warrior.

So the real question is:
Do I take it easy on her?
Or does she still tap me out with post-surgery powers?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

Dr. Deng

You've heard John Danaher say "Juji". Gordon Ryan talks about "Sankaku". Every no-gi player throws around "Ashi" and "Kata-Gatame". But do you actually know what those words mean?

Spoiler: they're not BJJ inventions. They're from Judo (and older than that – Japanese Jiu-Jitsu). Most BJJ practitioners use these terms without knowing their origins. After this video, you won't be one of them.

3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

Dr. Deng

Closed Guard Triangle Choke is scary for many BJJ beginners. But here's the secret most people learn too late:

👉 If you wait until the choke is fully locked, you're probably not getting out.

In this video, Marleen shows you 8 different ways to escape the triangle early — before your opponent gets a good angle or starts squeezing. Although some of these escapes can work late-stage too, my philosophy is simple: escape as early as possible. Why wait until you're in danger?

So if you're just starting your BJJ journey and keep getting caught in triangles from closed guard, I hope at least one or two of these escapes will fit your game.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

Dr. Deng

Aim Beyond The Target🏹

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

Dr. Deng

You know Octopus guard from side control bottom. You've probably seen the counter on Instagram or YouTube.

But the re-counter? That one we made up by accident while drilling the Octopus counter.

I was getting smashed (as usual) by Marleen — she's been practicing and applying the counter on me nonstop. So one day while drilling, I tried something stupid just to annoy her… and it actually worked. The key is to free your other arm before your opponent falls on top of it — otherwise, both arms get trapped.

This isn't fancy. It's just two nerds on the mats trying to annoy each other. Do you think our counter to the Octopus counter makes sense?

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 8