Many spectators come to fights for spectacular strikes, yet almost every tournament—even when it isn’t the main event—concludes with a quiet, barely noticeable tap on the canvas. This is the moment of submission—when a fighter voluntarily stops the bout, realizing that further resistance threatens unconsciousness or serious injury. Why is this “silent” victory valued no less than a powerful knockout, which techniques count as submissions, and how do you respond to them? Let’s break it down step by step.
“I Give Up!” – What Really Lies Behind a Submission
The term submission literally means “submission” or “surrender.” A referee immediately stops the fight when a defending athlete:
- Taps with a hand on the canvas, the cage, or the opponent’s body, clearly signaling defeat.
- Verbally declares surrender—less common, but also acceptable.
- Loses consciousness due to a choke—this is called a technical submission, and the referee must intervene at once.
The masters of such finishes are usually wrestlers from classical and hybrid disciplines: Sambo, Judo, Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. They dictate the pace, take the fight to the ground, and patiently wait to lock a choke or joint. Legendary examples include Fyodor Emelianenko with his lightning-fast kimura lock, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who forced even top strikers to tap with a triangle choke, and Chael Sonnen, famous for his textbook series of armbars.
Choking Traps: Steal the Oxygen and Take the Win
Choke techniques (chokes) remove an opponent from the fight by cutting off blood or air flow:
- Blood chokes (rear naked choke, triangle with the legs): clamp the carotid arteries, sending the brain into hypoxia in 5–10 seconds.
- Air chokes (guillotine choke, forearm pressure on the trachea): block breathing, combining pain with panic.
- Diaphragmatic chokes (rare but spectacular Von Flue or crucifix choke): compress the ribcage and pleural area.
Each variation is further divided by what is used to “choke”—arms, legs, or torso—and by position—back control, guard, or mount. The key is not strength but leverage and angle: a properly set lock will not loosen even if the opponent is physically stronger.
Joint Locks: Anatomy of Pain Measured in Seconds
The second major group consists of techniques that bend or break joints:
- Levers (armbar, kneebar): the limb is hyper-extended against its natural direction; ligaments may rupture in six or seven seconds.
- Knots (kimura, omoplata): the joint is rotated beyond its anatomical range, threatening to tear the capsule.
- Cranks (heel hook, Achilles compression): bone presses into soft tissue, intensifying pain and damaging ligaments.
Regulations differ slightly among leagues, but the trend is clear: manipulations of finger joints are prohibited, while direct pressure on the spine is allowed only in the UFC. All other techniques are legal if performed with control.
Why a Submission Is Rare but Priceless
- Guaranteed finish. A knockout depends on many variables, whereas a properly executed submission leaves no doubt.
- Learning curve. The technique requires fine mechanics and weight control, raising the barrier for one-dimensional strikers.
- Energy cost and risk. A failed lock can “burn out” the arms and lead to ground-and-pound from an exposed position.
- Psychological pressure. Even a broken attempt forces the opponent to panic and ruins their game plan.
Shield Against the Key: Defense and Counterattack
- Solid base. Keep elbows tight to the body and the head higher than the opponent’s hips—this cuts the chance of a lock.
- Grip fighting. Break wrist grips early; a single finger between the attacker’s wrists can prevent a choke.
- Head position. In the clinch, press the crown of your head to the opponent’s chin to kill the guillotine angle.
- Roll & scramble. If a lock is fully set, don’t force it open—roll over a shoulder, create chaos, and get back to your feet.
- Functional conditioning. Strong neck and forearm muscles buy precious seconds to find an escape.
When a Flexibility Test Matters More Than an Iron Jaw
A submission is a test of technical intelligence inside the octagon. It reveals who can read micro-errors: an off-angle elbow, an exposed neck, a single centimeter between hip and torso. It may look less dramatic than a brutal head-kick, but every grappling fan knows: one quiet tap is usually built on dozens of hours spent perfecting tiny details.
Modern MMA tolerates one-dimensional skills less and less. A striker without takedown defense risks becoming a “BJJ tutorial,” while a wrestler who can’t box turns into an easy target at range. That’s why a smart training camp now builds balance: stand-up striking to threaten a knockout, and ground work for an instant submission when the opponent defends too narrowly.
If you’re just starting out, heed the veterans’ advice: learn to choke and lock tomorrow so that the day after you won’t be forced to tap under someone else’s control. And remember: sometimes the loudest sound in the cage is the silence that follows a voluntary surrender.
