Going out in a chokehold isn't really that bad. I definitely agree that you refusing to tap happens a lot more than anything else. Note that all BJJ chokes are

Going out in a chokehold isn't really that bad. I definitely agree that you refusing to tap happens a lot more than anything else. Note that all BJJ chokes are blood chokes, not air chokes, so they work by cutting off blood to your brain. Since this only happens for about 15 seconds or so, its pretty safe. Also note that the "seizure" is nerve stimulus response after the brain stops control -- its not a grand mal seizure in the medical sense. For the most part, BJJ is pretty safe. The thing that you have to be most careful about is tapping out when someone has the hold. As someone with an abnormally high pain tolerance, I'm always careful about tapping out a little bit quicker, because if you don't a number of the advanced techniques can quickly cause permanent damage. However, this is one of the things that you are trained in for BJJ rolling, just like Judo teaches break falling. The striking sports are definitely more of a risk than grappling (also less useful in my opinion). Boxing is probably the most likely to cause long term trauma like hematomas.