Just like there are tons of amazing fights in contention for Fight of the Year, and just like there were many knockouts deserving of Knockout of the Year, there were also some amazing submission wins in 2013 in MMA that are in contention for the Submission of the Year award. Just like I did for Knockout of the Year yesterday, instead of selecting just one pick for Submission of the Year, I’ll list off a number of great subs that took place this year (list is in chronological order):
- Alexis Davis earns a trip to the UFC with a rear-naked choke submission over Shayna Baszler at Invicta FC 4.
- Michael Chandler submits Rick Hawn with a rear-naked choke to defend the Bellator lightweight title at Bellator 85.
- Also at Bellator 85, Jason Lambert pulls off an amazing straight armbar on Hector Ramirez.
- Gabriel Gonzaga locks in a guillotine choke on Ben Rothwell at UFC on FX 7.
- Also at UFC on FX 7, Ildemar Alcantara scores a rare kneebar over Wagner Prado.
- Bobby Green upsets Jacob Volkmann with a rear-naked choke at UFC 156.
- Ronda Rousey wins in her UFC debut with a last-second armbar of Liz Carmouche at UFC 157.
- Also at UFC 157, Kenny Robertson locks on an modified kneebar (Suloev Stretch) on Brock Jardine.
- Renan Barao defends the UFC interim bantamweight title with an arm-triangle on Michael McDonald in the main event of UFC on FUEL TV 7.
- Pat Curran defends the Bellator featherweight title with a guillotine choke finish of Shahbulat Shamhalaev at Bellator 95.
- Reza Madadi comes back in the third round to finish Michael Johnson with a D’arce choke at UFC on FUEL TV 9.
- Also at UFC on FUEL TV 9, Tom Lawlor comes back to submit Michael Kuiper in the second round with a guillotine choke.
- Michelle Waterson scores a huge upset and wins the atomweight title with an amazing armbar victory over Jessica Penne at Invicta FC 5.
- Also at Invicta FC 5, Rose Namajunas scores a flying armbar on Kathina Catron.
- Bryan Caraway finishes Johnny Bedford with just seconds left in the third round via guillotine choke at UFC 159.
- Fabricio Werdum scores a submission via armbar on submission ace Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC on FUEL TV 10.
- Also at UFC on FUEL TV 10, Erick Silva locks in a triangle/armbar combo on Jason High.
- James Krause submits Sam Stout with a guillotine choke with just seconds left in the third round of their fight at UFC 161.
- Jon Fitch is submitted for the first time in over a decade by a resurgent Josh Burkman via guillotine choke in one of the upsets of the year at WSOF 3.
- Demetrius Johnson scores the latest stoppage in a title fight in UFC history with an armbar over John Moraga in the main event of UFC on FOX 7.
- Also at UFC on FOX 7, Jorge Masvidal submits Michael Chiesa with a D’arce choke.
- Sergio Moraes finishes Neil Magny with an amazing triangle choke at UFC 163.
- Chael Sonnen surprisingly locks in a guillotine choke on Shogun Rua in the main event of UFC Fight Night 26.
- Also at UFC Fight Night 26, Michael McDonald finishes Brad Pickett with a triangle choke off the bottom.
- Kelvin Gastelum makes a successful debut at 170 with a rear-naked choke of Brian Melancon at UFC Fight Night 27.
- Also at UFC Fight Night 27, Jason High submits James Head with a devastating guillotine choke.
- Anthony Pettis becomes the UFC lightweight champion by submitting Benson Henderson via armbar at UFC 164.
- Piotr Hallmann takes a beating from Francisco Trinaldo only to come back in the second round and win the fight via kimura at UFC Fight Night 28.
- Justin Wilcox battles back to score a rear-naked choke on Akop Stepanyan at Bellator 99.
- Brendan Schaub submits Matt Mitrione with an arm-triangle choke at UFC 165.
- Also at UFC 165, Mitch Gagnon scores another submission victory with a guillotine choke of the previously-undefeated Dustin Kimura.
- Joe Warren subs out Nick Kirk with an inverted triangle armbar at Bellator 101.
- Rousimar Palhares is kicked out of the UFC after holding onto to a heel hook too long in his submission victory over Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 29.
- Tony Ferguson locks in a D’arce choke on Mike Rio to win Submission of the Night at UFC 166.
- Tiger Sarnavskiy submits BJJ black belt Ricardo Tirloni with a triangle choke at Bellator 105.
- Steve Carl wins the WSOF welterweight title with a triangle choke finish of Josh Burkman at WSOF 6.
- Luke Barnatt rocks Andrew Craig on the feet then takes his back to score a submission victory via rear-naked choke at UFC Fight Night 30.
- Derek Brunson shocks bettors with a rear-naked choke win over Brian Houston at UFC Fight Night 31.
- Also at UFC Fight Night 31, Michael Chiesa throws Colton Smith on his head then locks in a rear-naked choke for the victory.
- Adriano Martins continues his march up the lightweight ladder with a submission win over Daron Crucikshank at UFC Fight Night 32.
- Donald Cerrone beats down Evan Dunham with strikes, then finishes the job with a triangle choke at UFC 167.
- Ian Entwistle scores a diving heel hook over Liam James at Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 62.
- Georgi Karakhanyan submits Lance Palmer in the third round with a guillotine choke to win the WSOF lightweight title in the main event of WSOF 7.
- Also at WSOF 7, Nick Newell submits Sabah Fadai with a standing guillotine choke.
- Urijah Faber earns a title shot with a submission win via guillotine choke on Michael McDonald at UFC on FOX 9.
So what’s your Submission of the Year? Leave a comment below or hit me up on Twitter @MMAdamMartin.