By Monta Wiley
Tap, Snap, or Nap. Pick your poison to fall victim to. Since the days of Royce Gracie showcasing his dominance at UFC 1 and introducing the world to a new form of ground fighting, Submission Grappling (also known as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu) has elevated the fight game and opened the door to a new realm of ideas and dangers for fighters when the battle escalates to the ground. The year of 2011 brought to us a lot of jaw dropping, spine wrenching, gasping for air firsts in the business which saw fighters displaying perfectly executed submission attacks on their prey. Many of the finishes on this list left fans in utter amazement of what can happen when a fight goes to the floor.
M-1 Challenge 27: Vinny Magalhaes vs. Victor Nemkov:
Since being cut from the UFC, former Ultimate Fighter contestant Vinny Magalahes has been on a mission to become one of the best fighters in the world. Having trained with some of the best strikers and grapplers around in addition to becoming an ADCC World Champion along the way, his skills would definitely be put to the test at M-1 Challenge 27 against Sambo technician Victor Nemkov. Experiencing some pressure from Nemkov throughout the fight, Magalahes was able to secure a take down and establish mount. From there in a move that would take reinvention to another level, Magalhaes finished off Nemkov with a mounted Gogoplata Neck Crank forcing him to tap in the third round.
UFC 140: Antonino Noguiera vs. Frank Mir:
At the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canadian fans were in for a special treat as they would get the opportunity to witness an epic clash between UFC legends Antonino Noguiera and Frank Mir. With both men holding ranks as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and never being submitted in their careers it only added more spark to an already intriguing encounter. In the beginning stages of the bout both fighters decided to keep the fight standing, testing each others striking abilities. As the round progressed Mir would eat some heavy leather as the fight eventually hit the ground with Mir applying a Kimura to stop Nogeuria.
UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida:
Arrogant, overrated or what you want to call him, there is no denying the skills of one Jon Jones. In a battle that found him standing in the breath of fire against former champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, the bout was just another testament on why Jones is considered to be the future of MMA. Although Macida was able to confuse the champion in the first round, Jones was able to dominate with his striking throughout the duration of the second round. He positioned Machida against the cage in a tight clinch and tightly applied a guillotine choke, putting the Brazilian to sleep and continuing his championship reign.
Bellator 38: Richard Hale vs. Nik Fekete:
Bellator has always been the home of some spectacular action and great finishes. In the opening bout of the light heavyweight tournament Richard Hale was matched against former NCAA All-American Nik Fekete. During the round Fekete executed a double leg on his opponent but quickly found himself wrapped in the web of the 6’4 Richard Hale. With Hale hanging off his opponent’s back, he was able to secure an inverted triangle while Fekte was still standing causing him to collapse and lose consciousness at 1:55 in the first round.
Strikeforce Challengers 20: Ronda Rousey vs. Julia Budd:
Although nicknamed “Rowdy” former Judo Olympian Ronda Rousey might want to change her name to the Arm Collector. Since her start in 2010 she has racked up a trophy case of limbs, submitting all of her opponents by arm bar in the first round. Going into Strikeforce Challengers 20 she added yet another victim in Julia Budd. Surviving a barrage of punches, Ronda quickly established a clinch following up with an inside leg trip taking Budd down. Going on to establish the mount position it was open hunting season from there which saw Ronda transition to a tight arm lock breaking her opponent’s arm 39 seconds in the first round.
Bellator 46: Pat Curran vs. Luis Palomino:
Hoping to erase the memories of his loss to Eddie Alvarez, Pat Curran was looking to create a fresh new start for himself taking on Luis Paolomino in a clash to advance to the semifinals of the Bellator Featherweight tournament. With both fighters coming out in the early stages of the round pushing the pace the fans at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino would be left in a state of shock in what would happen next. As the battle proceeded to the ground forcing Palomino to turtle, Curran went on to attain a very familiar positional grip. It set up one of the rarest submissions in MMA in the form of a Peruvian Necktie, which gave Curran the win in the first round.
Breakthrough MMA Proving Grounds: Aaron Strawmier vs. Jonathan Riffle:
At the first MMA event in Daytona Beach Florida, Breakthrough MMA showcased Aaron Strawmier vs. Jonathan Riffle. Both fighters showcased well rounded skills throughout the beginning stages of the first round. As the round progressed Strawmier wemt omtp Riffle’s guard and secured a tight Kimura on his opponent. Riffle showed tremendous heart trying to defend the lock with all of his might, it resulted in his arm getting snapped off. In spite of Strawmier coming away with the win, he showed more concern for the well-being of his opponent which goes to show there is compassion and sportsmanship in the heat of battle.
UFC 129: Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin:
At UFC 129 Pablo Garza would take flight against Yves Jabouin performing a move rarely seen in the company. Controlling the fight with strong leg kicks Jabouin was able to give Garza some problems in the beginning of the round. Midway thru while tied up in the clinch Garza rebounded with some crisp knee strikes followed up with a flying triangle. Although it took time for Garza to secure the hold upon landing on the ground, opponent Yves Jabouin had no where to go and was force to tap at 4:31 in the first round.
Pablo Garza vs Yves Jabouin fight video by RVUF4
UFN 24: Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia:
Hoping to rebound from his loss against George Loop, Chan Sung Jung had a lot to prove going into his fight against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24. Shockingly enough he would not only go on to win the fight but also make UFC history in the process. After surviving a tough encounter in the first stages of the fight the Korean Zombie was able to take his opponent’s back. Taking a page out of Eddie Bravo’s playbook, Jung finished off Garcia in a spine wrenching Twister submission forcing his opponent to tap at 4:59, generating the first Twister in the UFC.
Day of Glory- Fight Night: Stephen Reeks vs. Sam Gardiner:
On the night of May 28, Day of Glory: Fight Night hosted a night of great action that featured rising stars Stephen Reeks and Sam Gardiner. Unbeknownst to the audience in attendance this match would go down as a groundbreaking moment in MMA history. Upon touching gloves, looking to take the fight to the ground Gardiner went for a quick single leg takedown. In a move that defines true meaning to the phrase “Don’t Blink”, Stephen jumped guard transitioning into an arm bar seven seconds in the first round. Although it may have seemed like another win in his ascent up the MMA ladder, Reeks was able to establish a memorable feat in his career with the fastest submission in MMA history.
