From a rear headlock, which maneuver leads to control?

• A. The Weave Under
• B. Step Behind & Push Bar
• C. Hip Thrust to Back Control
• D. The Peel Away

Answer: (B)

From a rear headlock, the best path to control is to rotate behind the opponent and establish back control by stepping behind and pushing the bar. This move creates an immediate angle that puts your hips behind their torso while you peel the headlock away with a controlled push on their arm. By stepping behind, you drop your weight to the opponent’s side and bring your chest-to-back contact, making it much harder for them to reestablish the headlock or turn into you. The push on the arm (the bar) clears the neck line and prevents a quick counter, so you can secure your hooks and control from the back.

Other options don’t align with that direct transition. One technique tends to focus on shifting posture or escaping rather than locking in back control from the rear headlock. Another emphasizes a forceful hip move that can be more easily countered or give the opponent a chance to scramble. The peel-away is a defensive escape that relieves pressure rather than forming the back-control position.