MMA / Editorial

Fight Network's Top 10 Submissions of 2012

Ariel Shnerer / January 2, 2013 - 5:38pm

TOP 10 SUBMISSIONS

1. Matt Wiman vs. Paul Sass -- UFC on Fuel TV 5 9/29/12 Nottingham, U.K.

Sass entered this fight as the undefeated submission magician, having tapped out his first three UFC opponents in the first round. After an incredible transition on the ground, Wiman put his own submission prowess on display as he locked in an armbar on the 24-year-old British prospect, forcing him to tap out at 3:48 of the opening round.

2. Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate -- Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey 3/3/12 Columbus, OH.

Rousey used her trademark armbar to finish her first four professional opponents, but Tate wasn't convinced she was worthy of a title shot. Well, she got one, and I guess she was worthy. Rousey threatened with an armbar early, but Tate escaped. Once Rousey got her back where she wanted her, it was a matter of time until her patented armbar was fully sunk in.

3. Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie -- Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman 8/18/12 San Diego, CA.

Tate was hell-bent on redemption after losing her title to Ronda Rousey via armbar. But first she had to overcome the well-travelled veteran Kedzie. It was a back-and-forth battle that came down to the wire. Tate secured an armbar of her own to coax a tapout at 3:28 of the third round.

4. Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin Poirier -- UFC on Fuel TV 3 5/15/12 Fairfax, VA.

Coming off a pair of submission wins, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt Poirier got everything he could handle from the South Korean taekwondo black belt Jung. After a "Fight of the Year" worthy performance that saw both men give it their all, Jung locked in a D'Arce choke to submit Poirier at 1:07 of the fourth round.

5. Martin Kampmann vs. Thiago Alves -- UFC on FX 2 3/3/12 Sydney, Australia

The Brazilian muay thai machine Alves was having his way with Kampmann for two rounds, battering him with an extensive arsenal of striking tricks. An exhausted Alves shot in for a lazy takedown late in the third round and Kampmann made him pay by securing a tight come-from-behind guillotine choke.

6. Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller -- UFC on FOX 3 5/5/12 East Rutherford, N.J.

In the best performance of his career, Diaz brought the fight to Miller from the onset. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Jamie Cruz, Miller was stunned in the second round as Diaz forced him to submit from a guillotine choke, earning his shot at the lightweight title in the process.

7. Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner -- UFC on FOX 4 8/4/12 Los Angeles, CA.

In another exciting tilt worthy of "Fight of the Year" consideration, Lauzon was dropped by Varner, but he persevered. In the third round, Lauzon transitioned nicely from a Varner takedown attempt to lock in a fight-ending triangle choke.

8. Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson -- UFC 142 1/14/12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Competing on his native Brazilian soil for the first time since he knocked out Wanderlei Silva in 1998, Belfort submitted Anthony Johnson, who came in over 10 pounds over the middleweight limit. Belfort locked in a rear-naked choke at 4:49 of the first round.

9. Ivan Menjivar vs. John Albert -- UFC on Fuel TV 1 2/15/12 Omaha, NB.

The crafty veteran Menjivar was expected to have his way with the newcomer Albert. But Albert came on strong and staggered Menjivar early. In a fast-paced opening round, Menjivar ended up catching Albert in a rear-naked choke for the win at the 3:45 mark, but his chin absorbed some big shots first.

10. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee -- UFC 144 2/26/12 Saitama, Japan

Yamamoto was once one of the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Struggling after a pair of decision losses in the UFC, Yamamoto would come up short yet again on his home soil, succumbing to a first-round armbar at the hands of the British submission player Lee.

Honorable Mention:

Demian Maia vs. Rick Story -- UFC 153 10/13/12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The benefits of dropping to welterweight for Maia were evident in this fight as the 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt used his superior positioning to lock in a neck crank on Story, forcing him to tap out at 2:30 of the opening round.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Dave Herman -- UFC 153 10/13/12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

On the same card, the BJJ master Nogueira was matched up with the man who proclaimed Brazilian jiu-jitsu doesn't work. It was only fitting Nogueira won the fight with his bread and butter, as he rolled into a beautiful armbar at 4:31 of the second round.

Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway -- UFC 143 2/4/12 Las Vegas, NV.

The youngster Holloway had his work cut out for him as he was making his promotional debut against Poirier, who ended the fight with a sensational mounted triangle choke at 3:23 of round one.

Lloyd Woodard vs. Patricky Freire -- Bellator 62 3/23/12 Laredo, TX.

No Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt? No problem. Woodard submitted BJJ black belt Freire in the Bellator Season 6 lightweight tournament quarterfinal, rolling into a kimura at 1:46 of the second period.