Key Takeaways
- A massive 6-volume instructional from catch wrestling black belt and legendary MMA grappling coach Neil “The Ground Marshal” Melanson
- Builds a complete guillotine system around five distinct choke families: the Handgun, the Twisted Fister, the High Elbow Guillotine, the Prayer choke, and the Manly choke
- Every variation is taught from multiple positions — standing, butterfly guard, half guard top and bottom, front headlock, and guard pulling
- Melanson’s catch wrestling background produces unorthodox finishing mechanics that work even against stronger, more athletic opponents
- Rating: 9/10
DOWNLOAD DVD MODIFIED GUILLOTINE NEIL MELANSON DVD
The guillotine is the most instinctive choke in grappling — nearly every beginner tries it in their first week. But the standard guillotine has clear limitations: once opponents learn to posture up and clear the choking arm, defense becomes straightforward. Melanson’s Modified Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD reimagines the choke entirely, replacing the standard entry with five distinct variations including the Handgun and Twisted Fister guillotine that attack the neck from angles opponents do not expect.
The result is The Modified Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD, a comprehensive high elbow guillotine system that transforms a basic choke into a web of finishing options from virtually every position.
Hybridizing Grappling for Efficiency
Neil Melanson is not a typical BJJ instructor. His background in Hayastan catch wrestling under Gokor Chivichyan and Gene LeBell produces grappling that sits outside the mainstream Jiu-Jitsu canon. His guillotine system reflects this — rather than teaching the standard arm-across guillotine that dominates BJJ competition, Melanson’s variations use wrist control, hand positioning, and body angle to create chokes that do not require traditional front headlock entries.
The core insight of Melanson’s system is that the guillotine does not need to begin with the classic over/under grip. The Handgun, Twisted Fister, and Prayer chokes all start from unconventional grips that opponents do not recognize as choke entries until it is too late. This element of disguise is what separates Melanson’s approach from the hundreds of guillotine tutorials available elsewhere. The system also covers the high elbow guillotine for those who prefer the more conventional mechanics, giving practitioners a full spectrum of options.
The instructional covers a remarkable breadth of positions. The Handgun is taught from standing, butterfly guard, half guard, and top position passing. The Twisted Fister applies from butterfly and half guard. The High Elbow Guillotine covers counters to common escapes. The final volumes add the Prayer choke and the Manly choke — variations that Melanson has developed over a 20-plus-year career coaching elite fighters.
The Godfather of Filth – Neil Melanson
Neil Melanson, known as “The Ground Marshal” and “The Godfather of Filth,” is one of the most respected grappling coaches in MMA history. He holds a black belt in Hayastan catch wrestling under Gokor Chivichyan, himself a student of the legendary Gene LeBell. His grappling lineage traces back through LeBell to Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Lou Thesz — a direct line to the golden age of catch wrestling.
Before coaching, Melanson served seven years in the United States Navy and spent five years as a Special Agent for the Federal Air Marshals Service. He was born with Behcet’s disease, which caused him to go blind at age 28 — he later regained sight in one eye after treatment. In 2011, he had an arthritic toe removed so he could continue training, earning the nickname “9-Toed Neil.”
Melanson has coached at Xtreme Couture, the Blackzilians, Alliance MMA, and is currently the head grappling coach at Jaco Hybrid Training Center. His fighter roster reads like a hall of fame ballot: Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Dominick Cruz, Michael Chandler, Chael Sonnen, Anthony Johnson, Gray Maynard, and Todd Duffee. He is the author of “Mastering Triangle Chokes” and has released over a dozen instructional series on BJJ Fanatics.
Detailed Modified Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD Review
The Handgun choke alone is worth the price of entry — a one-handed strangle that works from positions where standard guillotines fail. The Twisted Fister guillotine and Hayastan choke variations throughout the system provide options that opponents have simply not seen before.
Volume 1: Handgun Fundamentals
The Handgun — a one-handed guillotine variant that controls the wrist while attacking the neck — is the centerpiece of Melanson’s system. Volume 1 begins with the fundamentals of the Handgun grip: how to position the wrist, where to place the choking arm, and how to create the angle that turns a simple wrist control into a strangle.
Melanson introduces the “Goose” — a hand position that reinforces the choke and adds additional pressure. The Handgun with the Goose setup becomes the base for most of the variations that follow. The tilt finish teaches how to use your body weight to angle the opponent into the choke rather than relying purely on arm strength.
The Handgun guard pull and the Revolver (a variation that shifts the choking angle) round out the first volume. Melanson’s troubleshooting approach — showing what to do when the opponent resists each stage — makes these techniques teachable rather than theoretical.
Volume 2: Handgun From All Positions
Volume 2 expands the Handgun into the most common grappling scenarios. The standing Handgun entry is crucial for MMA and self-defense — catching the opponent as they shoot a takedown. Melanson shows both the dominant side and non-dominant side butterfly pass finishes, demonstrating how to finish the Handgun while passing the guard simultaneously.
The Handgun from butterfly guard is where Melanson’s catch wrestling influences shine. Rather than fighting for traditional grips, Melanson uses the butterfly hooks to off-balance the opponent while attacking the Handgun — and if the choke does not finish, the sweep option is always available. The half guard entries cover both top and bottom half, making the Handgun a threat regardless of which side of the guard you are on.
The troubleshooting section is the standout. Melanson identifies the most common reasons the Handgun fails — incorrect wrist angle, insufficient hip pressure, premature release — and provides specific corrections.
Volume 3: Twisted Fister
The Twisted Fister is Melanson’s most original contribution to the guillotine family. It uses a fist-on-neck grip combined with shoulder pressure to create a choke that does not require the traditional arm wrapping. The tilt finish for the Twisted Fister is particularly effective — by driving the shoulder into the neck while twisting the fist, Melanson creates a strangle that bypasses the opponent’s typical guillotine defenses.
The Twisted Fister from butterfly pass and half guard (both top and bottom) mirrors the Handgun structure, creating consistency across the system. The Twisted Fister Revolver combination adds a transition when the initial choke attempt is defended — switching from fist pressure to the Revolver grip keeps the attack alive.
The highlight of this Modified Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD volume is the section on how the Handgun and Twisted Fister work together. Melanson shows how to flow between the two based on opponent reactions, creating a choke chain that covers multiple defensive responses. The ankle pick to Handgun/Twisted Fister entry and the butterfly sweep to Twisted Fister transition show how to arrive at these chokes from takedowns and sweeps.
Volume 4: High Elbow Guillotine
Volume 4 covers the high elbow guillotine — the most conventional strangle in the system and the one most familiar to BJJ practitioners. Melanson covers the basics, then moves into countering specific defenses: what to do when the opponent bails out (turns away to escape), and how to counter the double leg takedown attempt that the guillotine often invites.
The snap guard to high elbow finish shows how to break the opponent’s posture down from guard and slide into the high elbow guillotine. The single butterfly/snap guard to high elbow submission adds the sweep threat, making the opponent choose between being choked or being swept.
Volume 5: The Goose and Prayer Chokes
Volume 5 introduces two distinctive choke families. The Front Choke Goose is a neck attack that uses a unique hand configuration — both hands working together in a way that Melanson compares to a goose’s beak. The Goose low pass counter catches opponents as they try to pass the guard, turning their forward pressure against them.
The “Living on a Prayer” choke is exactly what it sounds like: a prayer-style hand grip applied to the neck. The Prayer guard pull shows how to set it up when pulling guard, while the baseball slide half guard Prayer choke catches the opponent during the half guard transition. These chokes are less conventional than the Handgun or Twisted Fister, but they fill specific gaps in the system.
Volume 6: The Manly Choke
The Manly Choke closes the series with a brute-force neck attack that relies on shoulder pressure and core drive rather than hand fighting. Melanson teaches the fundamentals, then applies it from top half guard — a position where the opponent is driving forward and can be caught with explosive shoulder pressure.
The countering underhook get-up to Manly choke section is particularly useful. When the opponent underhooks and tries to stand in base, Melanson shows how to use their momentum to attack the Manly choke. The variation from the turtle — a gator roll into the Manly choke — is a finishing sequence that rewards timing and aggression.
So Many Guillotines, So Little Time
At six volumes, the Modified Guillotine is a serious time investment. The recommended approach is to focus on one choke family at a time. Start with the High Elbow Guillotine (Volume 4) if you already have a guillotine game, or start with the Handgun (Volumes 1-2) if you want to build something new.
The Handgun and Twisted Fister are the most original content in the series and represent Melanson’s unique contribution to the guillotine landscape. The combination drills in Volume 3 — showing how Handgun and Twisted Fister flow together — are where the Neil Melanson catch wrestling background becomes a complete high elbow guillotine system rather than isolated techniques.
Gi players will find the Handgun choke works well with the gi fabric, while no-gi players will appreciate the wrist control mechanics that do not rely on friction. The Twisted Fister guillotine and other Hayastan choke variations throughout the system transfer seamlessly between contexts. The system is particularly effective in MMA, where the Handgun entries from standing and butterfly guard match common cage grappling scenarios.
DVD MODIFIED GUILLOTINE NEIL MELANSON DVD DOWNLOAD
Who Is This For?
This instructional is ideal for intermediate and advanced grapplers (purple belt and above) who want to add unorthodox finishing options to their game. The Handgun and Twisted Fister are not techniques you will learn from your local BJJ instructor — Melanson’s catch wrestling background produces genuinely novel material.
It is also excellent for MMA grapplers who need finishes from positions that occur in cage fighting — standing guillotine entries, butterfly guard attacks, and top half chokes that work against opponents focused on striking.
White belts may find the hand positions and angles challenging. The system rewards detailed study and live drilling. Coaches and instructors will benefit from the depth of the material and the systematic approach to a single submission family.
Beginners may struggle with the unconventional grips. Purple belts and above who already understand basic guillotine mechanics will make the fastest progress.
Pros & Potential Drawbacks
Pros
- Genuinely original content: The Handgun and Twisted Fister are not repackaged standard techniques — Melanson has developed unique choke mechanics over decades of coaching
- Exceptionally thorough: Six volumes covering five distinct choke families from multiple positions is as comprehensive as a single-submission instructional gets
- Troubleshooting matters: Each volume includes specific correction sections for common failures, which is rare in technique instructionals
- Transfers between gi, no-gi, and MMA: The Handgun and Twisted Fister work in all contexts without modification
- Melanson’s teaching is engaging: His catch wrestling background and no-nonsense delivery make even the more unusual techniques feel practical
Potential Drawbacks
- Significant time commitment: Six volumes at $127 requires a serious dedication to the material — this is not a casual purchase
- Not for beginners: The unconventional mechanics assume familiarity with standard guillotine defense and positional understanding
- Some techniques require drilling partners: The Handgun and Goose chokes need a cooperative partner to learn the grip mechanics before they can be applied live
Handgun Out!
The Modified Guillotine Neil Melanson DVD is not another guillotine instructional. It is a complete rethinking of what a neck choke can be, built on the foundation of Neil Melanson catch wrestling from the Hayastan tradition and refined through two decades of coaching elite fighters. This is a top-tier instructional for the grappler who wants a genuinely different finishing system.
