Many of the most timeless submissions in the history of MMA unfolded unexpectedly.
Anderson Silva’s fifth-round triangle armbar of Chael Sonnen was a classic stunner simply because it spoiled a seemingly definite upset win for The American Gangster.
Others, such as Forrest Griffin’s rear-naked choke of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, generated extraordinary attention due to the nature and the degree of the upset.
Regardless of their modus operandi, every fighter on this list secured a spot in MMA lore for his acumen to catch the masses off guard by executing submissions in the most unlikely instances.
Here are the most shocking submissions in MMA history.