MMA Fighting’s 2024 Submission of the Year: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Robert Whittaker

Khamzat Chimaev is a foul, unhealthy man.

When Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene in 2020 with three fights in two months, it appeared a foregone conclusion that he would at some point hoist UFC gold. However 4 years and 4 fights later, Chimaev’s ascendancy was now not almost as sure.

Contracting COVID compelled Chimaev out of a number of bouts and almost led to “Borz” calling it quits on his MMA profession. In the end, he returned, however issues have been hit and miss since then. When he has made it to the cage, Chimaev remained a dominant power, however making it has been the difficulty. And that hassle reared its head but once more this previous summer season.

Chimaev was purported to sq. off with Whittaker in the principle occasion of the UFC’s first occasion in Saudi Arabia again in June. Nevertheless, sickness as soon as once more compelled him out of the bout, and as an alternative, followers have been left questioning if Chimaev was destined to be a cautionary story.

Not but.

After Whittaker demolished late alternative Ikram Aliskerov in Chimaev’s stead, the struggle between the 2 was rebooked for UFC 308 as a five-round co-main occasion. This time, Chimaev made it to the cage, and he didn’t want greater than a spherical to remind everybody how good he’s.

A bit of over 10 seconds into the struggle, Chimaev charged in on Whittaker with a takedown try, forcing the previous champion to the cage. Whittaker — an achieved wrestler in his personal proper — did his finest to maintain his toes, however Chimaev merely overpowered him to the mat. Whittaker labored to create scrambles however couldn’t shake the suffocating stress of Chimaev, who discovered his technique to the again and rapidly locked on a rear-naked choke.

The one saving grace for Whittaker on this place was that the choke wasn’t underneath the chin however throughout it. Besides that turned out to be the issue. Undeterred by the suboptimal positioning, Chimaev merely squeezed the place as a face crank, virtually instantly forcing a faucet from Whittaker.

On the time, the end appeared to occur so rapidly. Later we discovered why: Chimaev broke Whittaker’s enamel in one of the ugly accidents ever seen contained in the octagon. Robert Whittaker is among the finest fighters of his era. This can be a man who’s a former champion and has gone toe-to-toe with a number of the finest fighters ever, together with 50 minutes with Yoel Romero, and Chimaev rag-dolled him en path to breaking his face.

At this level, we will’t know if Chimaev will construct off this second and at last make his technique to the title many foresaw for him when he joined the UFC, however even when he doesn’t, “Borz” will nonetheless have that night time in October when he reminded everybody simply how harmful of a sport that is.

2. Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier

Some submissions are nice as a result of they’re fully distinctive, and others are nice as a result of they’re so vital, however typically a submission will be nice as a result of the entire items match collectively superbly. Case-in-point: The runner-up for 2024 Submission of the 12 months.

Islam Makhachev is the highest pound-for-pound fighter on the earth and is beginning to construct a legacy as one of many biggest lightweights of all time. So when he was set to defend his title for a record-tying third time in opposition to former interim champion and fan-favorite Dustin Poirier, most individuals anticipated it to finish a technique: One other Makhachev win. And whereas that finally is what occurred, the way it occurred was a lot totally different than anticipated.

For 4 full rounds, Poirier gave Makhachev hell — stuffing takedowns, touchdown strikes, and making the champion work a lot tougher than anticipated. Heading into the ultimate spherical, there gave the impression to be an actual probability of an upset brewing as Poirier began to return on sturdy within the fourth body. However together with his title reign probably in jeopardy, Makhachev confirmed the fortitude and ability that made him champion within the first place.

Bloodied and battered, Makhachev dug deep and obtained in on a single-leg takedown try. Poirier managed to stave it off, forcing Makhachev to change to his different leg. Poirier stuffed the top and balanced on one foot, attempting to interrupt Makhachev’s grip, however the champion noticed his second and took it, performing a leg whip that put Poirier on the canvas. “The Diamond” rolled to his knees to face up, however Makhachev jumped on his neck lightning-quick, breaking Poirier again down. Moments later, Makhachev sunk in a brabo choke that compelled Poirier to faucet midway by means of the ultimate spherical.

Not solely did the submission let Makhachev retain his light-weight title, it additionally cemented him as among the finest lightweights ever and among the finest fighters of his era.

3. Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

It speaks to the standard of 2024 that the UFC middleweight champion is nearly an afterthought on this dialog.

Heading into UFC 305, Dricus du Plessis was an anomaly. Although he received the middleweight championship with a cut up determination over Sean Strickland in January, many felt that “Stillknocks” didn’t need to win the belt, and paired together with his distinctive and confounding type, du Plessis was an underdog heading into his long-awaited grudge match with Israel Adesanya. In any case, Adesanya is the second-greatest middleweight ever and appeared to have a mode that ought to frustrate du Plessis. Besides you can’t frustrate the middleweight champion.

For a lot of the primary three rounds, Adesanya had nice success conserving the struggle standing and choosing du Plessis aside on the toes together with his superior kickboxing abilities. Issues started to look dire for the champion within the fourth spherical as Adesanya appeared to harm him with a physique shot that du Plessis was sluggish to stand up from, however indomitable will stored “Stillknocks” coming, and that finally paid off. Du Plessis stored coming, lastly touchdown a proper hook that harm the previous champion. Smelling blood within the water, du Plessis pounced, taking Adesanya down and instantly shifting to the again and locking in a face crank that compelled his foe to faucet out.

Together with his again in opposition to the wall, du Plessis did what he’s finished so many occasions earlier than, he discovered a technique to win. It’s possible you’ll not perceive him, however you’ve obtained to respect him.

4. Liz Carmouche vs. Kana Watanabe 2

Liz Carmouche is a pioneer of ladies’s MMA, however at 40 years outdated, it’s truthful to marvel how for much longer she has left in her profession. And again in June, it appeared like that finish might be coming.

Carmouche made her PFL debut in April, beating Julianna Velasquez within the opening spherical of the ladies’s flyweight season. She was then set to rematch Kana Watanabe — a lady she completed again in 2021 — at PFL 4, and most of the people anticipated the Bellator flyweight champion to cruise into the PFL post-season. However Watanabe had different concepts.

Watanabe dominated Carmouche, outworking her for almost quarter-hour, and was cruising to a unanimous determination win till, with simply 15 seconds left, Carmouche improbably threw up an armbar from her guard. The maneuver caught Watanabe fully unaware, and although she tried to defend, “Lady-Rilla” compelled the faucet with simply eight seconds left, pulling victory from the jaws of defeat.

Carmouche finally went on to lose a call to Taila Santos within the flyweight semifinals, however that doesn’t take away from her unbelievable buzzer-beater armbar to stave off defeat just a bit whereas longer.

5. Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez 2

A two-time featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega’s had a tough previous few years within the cage, competing sparingly and shedding most of the time. The worst of it got here in 2022, when Ortega injured his shoulder throughout his struggle with Yair Rodriguez, forcing him out of motion for over 18 months.

Ortega lastly returned to the cage in February the place he and Rodriguez ran issues again because the co-main occasion of UFC Mexico Metropolis, and after a sluggish begin, Ortega reminded followers simply how good he will be.

After opening up a nasty reduce on Rodriguez within the second spherical, Ortega got here out for the third with renewed depth, scoring a straightforward takedown and shifting seamlessly to mount. From there it was formulaic as Ortega used an elbow to sneakily setup an arm-triangle choke, rapidly locking it on and forcing the faucet. It was a return to his basic kind for the fan-favorite and his first win since 2020.

Right here is how voting for MMA Combating’s 2024 Submission of the 12 months performed out

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Vince Morales def. Hunter Azure by way of Peruvian necktie, United Battle League 5

Kleber Koike def. Juan Archuleta by way of heel hook, RIZIN 47

Stevie Ray def. Lewis Lengthy by way of modified tornado, PFL Europe 3

Kayla Harrison def. Holly Holm by way of rear-naked choke, UFC 300

Virna Jandiroba def. Amanda Lemos by way of armbar, UFC Vegas 94

Shannon Clark def. Thaiany Lopes by way of bulldog choke, LFA 177