Merry Christmas everyone! As the year winds down and the UFC layoff continues, it’s a perfect time to look back over the most eventful moments of 2025. Specifically, we’ll be talking about the best tapout
wins of the year, including several UFC title fights decided by jiu-jitsu prowess.
It’s quite subjective to argue which submission is best, as it’s tough to quantify the rarity of a technique vs. skill level of the opponent. Does omoplata-ing a kickboxer on some random undercard mean quite as much as a classic rear naked choke win over an elite opponent? That’s the debate, and hopefully, all five of these finishes will prove both impressive form and overall relevance.
Let’s check out 2025’s “Submissions of the Year.”
5. Valter Walker vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
As the first man to ever win four fights in a row via heel hook, Valter Walker had to be included somewhere. Okay, technically one of those heel hook wins came in 2024, and we’re talking about submitting Heavyweights who can’t grapple, but still … that’s a record that’s not going to be matched any time soon!
Of his trio of heel hooks in 2025 proper, I would rate Nzechukwu as the top scalp. He’s been a UFC veteran for a long time, and just this month, he managed to grapple quite a bit with BJJ legend Marcus Buchecha. Buchecha landed in some great positions — including some leg entanglements — and yet couldn’t finish Nzechukwu in their back-and-forth draw.
As for Walker? The tap came in a mere 54 seconds.
4. Jean Silva vs. Bryce Mitchell
Like Ilia Topuria before him, Silva submitted the submission ace.
This win hits the trifecta of important bout, great performance, and slick technique. Silva was a feared prospect before torching “Thug Nasty,” but this is the win that shot him up the rankings and sent Mitchell down to Bantamweight. The whole victory was brutal: Silva beat Mitchell from pillar to post while defending his takedowns with ease.
Mitchell’s takedowns grew more and more desperate as the damage built up, and he left his neck. In one fluid motion, Silva attacked with the guillotine variation known as the ninja choke, which only works if the wrestler pushes forward into the strangle.
Like a rabbit in a snare, Mitchell sprinted into his own doom.
3. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley
The great criticism against Merab Dvalishvili historically is that he doesn’t do much with his top position. He’s not known for thudding elbows like Arman Tsarukyan, nor is he great about advancing position in a jiu-jitsu context. He is, however, hanging onto the neck more and more, and that creates opportunity.
Dvalishvili’s rematch with O’Malley was so much more one-sided than the first bout less than a year prior. He hit him more often on the feet, landed his takedowns easily, and rarely absorbed a significant blow. O’Malley tried to wrestle up to his feet late in the third, and Dvalishvili kept him down with the threat of a guillotine choke. “Suga” tried to roll to his back to defend, but Dvalishvili maintained his rear naked choke grip, resulting in the first north-south choke in UFC title history.
2. Islam Makhachev vs. Renato Moicano
The only thing keeping this from the No. 1 spot is the strange short-notice circumstances of it all. Despite the chaos, Moicano was a genuine Top 10 Lightweight and longtime BJJ black belt when Islam Makhachev submitted him inside a round with his second short D’arce in two fights.
Here’s the thing about the short D’arce: it’s not a new technique. It’s an alternate finish to the classic D’arce that doesn’t require the attacking fighter to sink their arms as deep, which makes it an easier finish for short-limbed grapplers. I remember learning it in 2010!
The problem is … it doesn’t work that well. For most people. It’s generally easier to secure but much harder to finish than the classic D’arce. Makhachev and his absurd back muscles are quite literally built different, however. When Makhachev locks in the short D’arce and sags his weight down into the squeeze, opponents tap QUICKLY! He didn’t submit Jack Della Maddalena, but the mere threat of the short D’arce kept “JDM” much more stationary in Makhachev’s second title fight of 2025.
It’s now a signature weapon in the resume of (maybe) the best fighter active right now.
1. Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Dolidze
Were “Ass-kicking Of The Year” a category on my to-do list, this performance would feature highly there as well.
On paper, Dolidze could threaten Hernandez. He’s reversed and brutalized several very good top players with his excellent bottom game, which I wrote about in more detail here. Utilizing the K guard and leg entanglements, Dolidze is downright fearsome in bottom position, and he’s a heavy-handed hitter as well.
Nobody told “Fluffy.”
Hernandez didn’t back away from the challenge one bit, walking down Dolidze on the feet and canvas alike. He was respectful of the leg lock threat, sure, but Hernandez still took Dolidze down and pummeled him while advancing position. As he broke down Dolidze, the threat of his vaunted submission game disappeared. The finish itself was outrageous, as much bulldog choke as RNC.
The strangle was a perfect culmination to a beatdown, but it was the ease and style that earns him the top spot on my list. What an outrageous way to hand Dolidze his first-ever submission loss!
Honorable Mentions
- Oliveira vs. Gamrot
- Harrison vs. Pena
- Brady vs. Edwards
- Pantoja vs. Kara-France
- Zalal vs. Emmett
Best Submissions 2025 | Best KOs 2025 | Best Fights 2025 | Best Fighters 2025 | Best Events 2025
