The UFC, inspired by vale tudo—“anything goes”—competitions in Brazil, was built on the premise of recognizing the most superior martial art.
The promotion’s inaugural event, UFC 1: The Beginning, was organized tournament-style and featured eight competitors, with only one winner. At the end of the evening, Royce Gracie, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, secured his victory (and the $50,000 prize) by submitting each of his opponents, all of whom outweighed him by 16-40 lbs.
Think of the submission and the kind of mental and physical sharpness it requires. For these reasons, Gracie’s first tournament victory, a rear-naked choke over savateur Gerard Geordeau less than two minutes into their match, will never lose its brilliance even after three decades, and why submission wins have always been so memorable.
On Saturday, August 15, Islam Makhachev, one of the 25 best fighters in UFC history, will defend the UFC welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Makhachev is looking to surpass Anderson Silva for the most consecutive UFC wins at 17. Seven of those victories have come by submission with Makhachev submitting opponents via D’Arce choke, arm triangle, Kimura, rear-naked choke, and armbar.
In honor of Makhachev and all the other submission specialists, these are the 10 Wildest Submissions in UFC History, Ranked.
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Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Brandon Davis
Date: September 8, 2018
Result: Magomedsharipov, Submission (Suloev Stretch), R2, 03:46
At UFC 228, Zabit Magomedsharipov faced off against Brandon “Killer B” Davis in a featherweight bout as the heavy favorite. The taller of the two by 3 inches, Magomedsharipov was on a three-fight win streak since signing with the UFC; Davis, on the other hand, was a last-minute replacement for the injured Yair Rodriguez.
Although the two seemed, in the first round, to be more evenly matched, the second round went in Magomedsharipov’s favor. For the first three minutes, he took his opponent down several times, maintaining control against the fence and on the ground with a two-on-one armbar. After a short separation, Magomedsharipov completed yet another takedown before mounting Davis’s back. As Davis tried to shake him off, Magomedsharipov rotated his body, keeping his right leg hooked onto Davis’s, and reached for Davis’s left ankle. When the two fell back still intertwined, the commentators started to shout: The banana split! The famed kneebar! Yes: it was the Suloev stretch, Amar Suloev’s namesake submission: Davis’s left leg extended up against his torso, Magomedsharipov continuing to pull until Killer B winced and finally tapped his thigh in surrender. Remarkably, the rare submission, done only four times over the UFC’s history, was already seen earlier that evening in the preliminary card, demonstrated by Aljamain Sterling first-round win over Cody Stamann.
Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch
Date: November 20, 2010
Result: Davis, Submission (Kimura), R2, 02:55
UFC 123 was Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis’s fourth UFC appearance of the year—his fourth in the promotion, ever, actually—with only three months elapsing between his last bout and this one with Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch. Mr. Wonderful was taller and had a longer reach than his opponent, who himself was not to be underestimated: in addition to having a strong wrestling background, Boetsch had eight wins by KO/TKO over the course of his career. Both light heavyweight fighters entered the Octagon with win streaks in their professional records: seven for Davis, three for Boetsch.
Mr. Wonderful would go on to outwrestle and outstrike The Barbarian after taking him down in the first round. In the second round, as Davis went for another takedown, Boetsch attempted a guillotine from the half-guard that looked promising—until Davis slipped out. From side control, Davis secured control over Boetsch’s left wrist with his left hand, pinning Boetsch’s left arm behind Boetsch’s back. Then, placing his right hand underneath Boetsch’s back to meet his left hand, he transitioned from side control to the north-south position and—still out of the audience’s view—applied more pressure to Boetsch’s already compromised arm. It worked. Within a couple of seconds, Boetsch let out a grunt and tapped to the modified, one-arm Kimura, renamed the “Mr. Wonderful” submission in Davis’s post-fight interview with color commentator Joe Rogan.
Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira
Date: October, 22, 2022
Result: Makhachev, Submission (Arm Triangle), R2, 03:16
At UFC 280, Islam Makhachev and Charles “Do Bronxs” Oliveira faced off for the vacant lightweight championship in Abu Dhabi. Makhachev, cornered by UFC Hall of Famer and former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, entered as a slight favorite—even against Do Bronxs, who himself was a former champion in their weight class. Both fighters, ranked at no. 4 (Makhachev) and no. 1 (Oliveira), were on a multi-fight win streak, with submission finishes to their name; in other words, they were evenly matched in grappling, one with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu credentials, the other well-versed in Dagestani sambo.
The first round included multiple submission attempts by Oliveira and over three minutes of ground control by Makhachev, who, at one point—after smothering and attacking Oliveira with elbows—received an upkick from Oliveira. After knocking his opponent down with a counter right in the second round, Makhachev wasted no time: he mounted the dazed Oliveira, smoothly positioning himself into an arm triangle, his right arm applying pressure to the left side of Oliveira’s neck, his head applying pressure to Oliveira’s right arm. Once he passed Oliveira’s half guard, he squeezed—and immediately felt the tap that signaled his title win.
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Date: January 28, 2012
Result: Oliveira, Submission (Calf Slicer), R1, 01:43
Ten years before he tapped to Islam Makhachev’s arm triangle submission, Charles Oliveira faced Eric “Little Lee” Wisely in the Octagon at UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis. Their bout marked two debuts: Wiseley’s in the UFC and Oliveira’s at featherweight. Do Bronxs, the younger of the duo—the second-youngest active fighter in the promotion at the time, as a matter of fact—was the oddsmaker’s heavy favorite. He had a height and reach advantage over his veteran opponent, for whom this event marked his 26th fight in his professional MMA career.
Early on in the first round, Oliveira caught Wisely’s kick, sending the latter to the ground. Then, after throwing several shots at Wisely, Oliveira, wrapping his legs around his opponent’s left leg, fell back, in the process catching hold of Wiseley’s left foot in a heel hook attempt. Then, as Wiseley spun to release Oliveira’s grip, he used his right leg to post up—a big mistake. Oliveira immediately seized Wisely’s torso and pulled him in what looked like a bear hug from behind, Wiseley’s left lower leg still sandwiched between them. The pressure of the reverse calf slicer—the first to be done in the UFC—caused Little Lee to tap in no time.
Ovince Saint Preux vs. Nikita Krylov 1
Date: March 15, 2014
Result: Saint Preux, Submission (Von Flue Choke), R1, 01:29
At UFC 171, Nikita “Al Capone” Krylov made his light heavyweight debut against Ovince Saint Preux. The fourth youngest active fighter in the promotion, Al Capone (who would later switch his nickname to “The Miner”) was looking to end his opponent's three-fight win streak and begin a streak for himself. The tale of the tape showed that both fighters had just about as many professional bouts under their belt leading up to this one, with the elder Saint Preux (and his height and reach advantage) entering as the favorite.
After receiving a body kick from Krylov at the beginning of the first round, Saint Preux moved in for a takedown, his neck encircled by Krylov’s left arm for a potential guillotine. Saint Preux, his head still underneath Krylov’s arm, moved to side control until he was able to secure a gable grip underneath Krylov. From there, he pressed his left shoulder against his bucking opponent’s neck until the referee stepped in to stop the fight. It marked the second time in UFC history that the Von Flue choke (named after Jason Von Flue) was applied, and the first out of four that OSP would use to win. So often did he use it—more so than Von Flue in the Octagon—that it was colloquially referred to as the “Von Preux” instead.
Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg
Date: October 7, 2017
Result: Johnson, Submission (Armbar), R5, 03:15
By his eleventh (!) consecutive title defense at UFC 216, the UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson was already on a historic, Hall of Fame-level run. With six of his previous title defenses ending in a finish—four by submission, two by KO/TKO—and having been distinguished as the no. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, it wasn’t too outlandish to think he wouldn’t end his bout against Ray “The Tazmexican Devil” Borg in similar fashion, or at least try to.
And try he did. Over the next five grueling rounds, Mighty Mouse tried every move on The Tazmexican Devil, ranked no. 3 in their weight class; neither, color commentator Jon Anik noted, had ever been finished in the Octagon. After dominating the first four rounds, on their feet and on the ground, where he attempted—and fought off—multiple submissions, including the guillotine, the head and arm choke, the Von Flue, the Americana, and the Kimura, Johnson had had enough. During the final round, he took Borg down a third time via suplex; as he tossed his opponent up, Johnson, mid-flight, hooked Borg’s left arm with his, and as they landed on the ground, isolated the same arm with his legs. Mighty Mouse—who had described practicing this very move—applied an armbar with such speed that the broadcast booth, along with the crowd, exploded. Credit to Borg, who held out for as long as he could before tapping.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoît Saint Denis
Date: July 11, 2026
Result: Pimblett, Submission (D’Arce Choke), R1, 00:52
The co-main event of UFC 329, Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett faced off against Benoît “God of War” Saint Denis in a lightweight bout. Fresh off his loss to Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight belt, Pimblett, ranked no. 6 in their weight class, came in as a slight underdog. Meanwhile, Saint Denis, at no. 5, was on a four-fight win streak, all of them finishes: two by KO/TKO, two by submission.
It was a night of redemption for The Baddy. When Saint Denis went for a takedown, Pimblett wrapped his left arm around the God of War’s neck and held on, manipulating his opponent’s body from the top. A glimpse of Saint Denis’s panicked face at the bottom only emphasized the mistake he’d made. Pimblett sprawled as Saint Denis tried to escape, his left arm still now under the latter’s chin. As soon as he locked in a figure four grip to complete the D’Arce choke (after Joe D’Arce), he squeezed—then, he sat up from his sprawl, applying even more pressure by placing his legs on top of his opponent’s back. He held on until referee Marc Goddard raised Saint Denis’s limp arm, signaling a quick end to the fight.
Leonard Garcia vs Chan Sung Jung 2
Date: March 26, 2011
Result: Jung, Submission (Twister), R2, 04:59
About a year after facing Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia at WEC 48 in a bout dubbed “The Fight of the Decade” by Joe Rogan, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung—a last-minute replacement for the injured Nam Phan—seemed more than ready to avenge his split decision loss at UFC Fight Night 24. The tale of the tape described an even match, with Garcia having the height advantage over Jung, who had a reach advantage—and whatever the odds, both fighters were eager not to repeat the conclusion of their last bout; they each wanted a finish.
For the most part, the first round consisted of them trading strikes, looping hooks and leg kicks galore, the round finishing with a takedown and a minute and a half of control for Jung, who, in the last ten seconds, had mounted Garcia and pummelled him until the bell rang. The second round unfolded similarly, with both fighters on their feet until the last minute, a kick by Jung sending Garcia to the ground. The Korean Zombie swarmed, elbowing the Bad Boy in the face until the latter spun, giving up his back. Jung promptly got his hooks in, and with less than ten seconds on the clock, transitioned from full rear mount to half-back, trapping Garcia’s left leg with a figure four configuration. Then he turned his torso just so—as if moving to embrace Garcia’s with both arms—and, with his hands locked in a gable grip against the side of Garcia’s head, yanked back. In the final second of the round—literally, 00:01 on the clock—Garcia tapped to the first-ever twister submission the UFC had ever witnessed.
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
Date: December 10, 2011
Result: Jones, Submission (Guillotine Choke), R2, 04:26
In his third title defense against Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones—the youngest to ever do it—was the heavy favorite, with a significant 3 inch height advantage and 10.5 inch reach advantage over his challenger. Machida, coming off a KO win from his last fight, was eager to get back to the top of their weight class only a year and a half after he’d lost the title to Maurício Rua (who then lost it to Jones).
Round one saw The Dragon darting in and out, exchanging strikes with Bones, at one point stunning the champion with a clean straight near the end of the round, following up with a body kick. Jones, meanwhile, missed Machida several times, his spinning back kicks and head kicks skimming his smaller opponent. In the second round, they did much of the same thing, striking and countering, a mid-round takedown from Jones resulting in a deep gash on Machida’s forehead. After dropping Machida in the final minute, Jones sprawled, slid his left arm underneath his opponent’s chin and walked him to the side of the Octagon. There, against the cage, he used his right hand to push his left hand up, applying more and more pressure to Machida’s neck until referee John McCarthy stepped in to call the fight. The defending champion walked off as Machida, bloodied, limp, and unconscious, dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, his legs folded beneath him.
Aleksei Oleinik vs. Viktor Pešta
Date: January 15, 2017
Result: Oleinik, Submission (Ezekiel Choke), R1, 02:57
The heavyweight bout between Aleksei “The Boa Constrictor” Oleinik and Viktor Pešta at UFC Fight Night 103 is the wildest submission in UFC history. Oleinik, who was 13 years (!) Pešta’s senior, boasted 50 professional wins compared to Pešta’s 10. Oleinik was the slight favorite over Pešta, over whom he had a 3 inch reach, but who was taller than him by 2 inches.
“38 submission wins,” color commentator Jon Anik said about Oleinik at the top of the first round, “11 different ways, 9 Ezekiel chokes (after Ezequiel Paraguassu).” “9!” Joe Rogan answered in disbelief. And it was almost as if the Boa Constrictor heard them. Two minutes elapsed when the two fighters finally went to the ground; after a minute of going back and forth, with Pešta maintaining control and finally mounting Oleinik, the latter wrapped his right arm around his opponent’s head, slipped his left hand across his throat, and squeezed. It only took a couple of seconds for Pešta—who, up to that point, had been dominating Oleinik with punches to the head and to the body—to tap, and when Oleinik released him from his grip, he was still confused, so much so that referee Nic Jones had to help him dismount Oleinik. It was the first win by Ezekiel choke in UFC history—and Oleinik’s tenth, overall—made even more special because it was done from the bottom position.
