What makes a “Submission of the Year?” Out of the dozens of submission finishes each year in top-level global promotions such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator MMA and One Championship—and hundred more in smaller regional shows around the world—what makes a handful stand out as especially memorable or praiseworthy? If the winning entries from previous Sherdog Year-End Awards are any indication, it usually takes two things: impressive technique, and enough stakes or historical context to make it matter. For example, our 2018 winner, Ryan Hall, landed a rare heel hook from an even rarer Imanari roll, but what elevated a “Submission of the Night” into a “Submission of the Year” is that it was the first time we had ever seen the legendary B.
Sherdog's 2021 Submission of the Year
