What are the most successful submissions in BJJ & MMA?
Statistically, the top 5 MMA/BJJ submissions are
- Rear Naked Choke – – 33% of all submission wins
- Guillotine Choke – 19% of all submission wins
- Leg Triangle Choke – 17% of all submission wins
- Arm Triangle Choke – 9% of all submission wins
- Arm Bar – 7% of all submission wins
As you can see, the top 5 submissions make up over 90% of the total submissions used in UFC fights.
The next 5 submissions are
- Kimura
- D’Arce Choke
- Heel Hook
- Knee Bar
- Anaconda Choke
These makeup slightly less than 10% of the remaining submissions.
What does this mean for training?
New students often want to learn as many submissions as they can.
The logic being that the more submissions you know, the more likely it is you will succeed in achieving one.
The problem with this approach is that although you have plenty o submissions to choose from, none of them can be performed with enough expertise to apply them.
A better approach is to take a few core techniques and learn them really well. The ear is that you may not have enough techniques in your arsenal to choose from.
How many submissions do we need to be effective?
It is surprising that 90% of all competitive MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions come from a core of 5 basic techniques. By concentrating on just these 5 techniques, you will develop a real depth of understanding and expertise giving you a fundamental understanding of what precisely is required for successful submission.
There may only be five submissions on this list but of course, these submissions themselves may include hundreds of different combinations and setups in order to make them effective.
Over time, other techniques will be added to your arsenal such as heel hooks, kimuras and leg locks and using what you have learnt, be able to apply successfully.
To sum up, don’t learn one way to do 20 different submissions, learn 20 ways to do one submission and then move on to the next one.