· MMA Spot’s 10 Best Submissions Of 2010

2010 was a great year for submissions, both exotic and common. Even guys not known for their submissions got in on the act. Matt Hughes won with a front choke. Brock Lesnar with an arm triangle. Chris Lytle added a couple of impressive submissions to his resume. We saw some new submission artists come to the forefront this year as well, including Charles Oliveira and George Sotiropoulos. MMA Spot's staff spent weeks discussing hundreds of submissions, and have come up with our favorites for this past year.

10) Artemij Sitenkov Flying High

At April’s “Bushido Challenge 2: A New Dawn” in Nottingham, England Sitenkov stepped into the cage as a sound underdog to James Doolan. But don’t tell that to this sneaky slick Lithuanian bantamweight. Artemji needed just 0:34 to get the clinch, pull guard, and climb up Doolan’s torso for a flying armbar victory.

9) Paul McVeigh Exacts Revenge In Rare Form

After Artemji Sitenkov submitted good friend and training partner James Doolan in April, all Paul McVeigh could think of was evening the score. He got that chance at “Cage Contender: McVeigh vs. Sitenkov” three months later. McVeigh showed that Sitenknov didn’t have a patent on exotic submissions as Europe’s top 135-pounder locked in an inverted triangle choke for a beautiful second round victory.

8) Drew Fickett Shines With A Hat-Trick Of Chokes

While Shine’s “2010 Lightweight Grand Prix” may have been embroiled in controversy before and during the event, Drew Fickett was quite possibly the event’s saving grace. Fickett wasted little time getting going, jumping guard on Charles “Kid Khaos” Bennett and securing a tight guillotine choke. He survived a leaping backwards spike attempt to finish off his first submission of the evening. He then tapped out Dennis Bermudez and Carlo Prater in just over two minutes each to earn the tournament victory. With the trifecta of tap outs, Fickett appears back and ready for a strong 2011.

7) Silva Shocks Fans, Then Shocks Sonnen

We have grown accustomed to Anderson Silva having it easy inside the Octagon. However, when Silva faced title challenger Chael Sonnen in August at UFC 117 he was in a real fight. At least that is what many saw as Sonnen bullied the champion for the first twenty-two minutes of their scheduled twenty-five minute fight. Likely down four rounds to none on the judges’ scorecards the champion would need a stoppage to escape Oakland, Cali. with a win. He got just that with a surprising triangle choke submission midway through the fifth round, sending Sonnen packing and securing Silva’s place again at the top of pound-for-pound fighter discussions.

6) Dollaway Determined To Defeat Doerksen

C.B. Dollaway may feel like a forgotten man in UFC's middleweight division, but he certainly tries not to be. His two submission victories inside the Octagon certainly haven't been. In 2008 he made an impression with his Peruvian necktie victory over Jesse Taylor. This past September he again opened eyes when he submitted Joe Doerksen with a guillotine choke. With the choke secured, Doerksen attempted to escape. "The Doberman" held on tight, through two barrel rolls, to pick up the win and another big bonus check.

5) Jorgensen Stands And Delivers

Not many fights end in the first round. Not many fights end in the first minute. It only took Scott Jorgensen thirty-one seconds to sink in the fight ending guillotine on opponent Chad George at March's WEC 47. The red spiked Jorgensen showed off his raw power by lifting George straight off the canvas while holding a fierce standing guillotine. As Jorgensen let go it sent Chad falling into an unconscious heap. A violent image and a highlight reel for Scott Jorgenson.

4) Nick Pace Pillory’s Will Campuzano

Many New Yorkers want to eventually have a sub sandwich named after them at a deli. Nick Pace has had a submission named after him. At December's "Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale" he placed his name forever among the annuls with his submission win over Will Campuzano. The move was so exotic that Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg struggled to describe just what they had seen. While they discussed what just happened, the world had already decreed what was once described as a pillory choke, will now forever be deemed "The Pace Choke."

3) Kats In The Cradle, With Ninjas

It's been dubbed "The Ninja Choke"—Shuichiro Katsumura's Brabo choke win over Masakatsu Ueda. This past March from Japan's Shooto organization Katsumura stealthily baited Ueda into giving up his neck by threatening an omoplata/gogoplata from rubber guard. By the time the sequence of events was over Ueda was unconscious and Katsumura had logged one of the best submissions of the year, sending MMA purists and submission experts into a frenzy. It's worth noting that Katsumura also logged a submission of the year acknowledgment last year with his "twister" win over Hiroyuki Yamashiro.

2) Cole Miller Doubles Up Dan Lauzon

American Top Team jiu-jitsu brown belt Cole Miller has become a UFC staple primarily because of his penchant for going all out in his fights, win or lose. Following his loss to Efrain Escudero, Miller continued those ways. Facing Dan Lauzon at UFC 108 this past Jaunary "Magrinho" came out on fire, attacking Lauzon with knees and punches. Once the fight hit the ground, it looked for a moment that Lauzon was in a position to collect a win, but a quick scramble put Miller in control. Miller grabbed control of Lauzon's left arm and wrapped his legs around his upper body. Lauzon was left with little defense, he could either defend the kimura or the triangle choke. In the end, it was the kimura that ended the fight.

1) Fedor Tastes Defeat, For Real This Time

MMA Spot's "Submission Of The Year." Not for it's visually pleasing look. Not for it's unexpectedness. But because it was the man many thought unbeatable. Throughout Fedor Emelianenko's career he had proven time and again to be the very best. He had faced, and defeated, knock out artists. He had faced, and defeated, highly decorated wrestlers. He had faced, and defeated, giants. He had faced, and defeated, world champion grapplers. So what did Fabricio Werdum bring into the fight that so many others did not?

Werdum brought with him a belief. A belief that he was going to win. It was etched on his face in the press conference leading up to the fight. It was etched onto his face at the weigh-ins. It was etched onto his face as he stared across the cage at the world's pound-for-pound legend. Sixty-nine seconds later it was etched into history.

After dropping Werdum with a big right hook, Emelianenko followed the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to the mat. That is where "The Last Emperor's" reign over the heavyweight world would come to an end. Werdum would immediately look for an armbar, but Emelienenko escaped that attempt with ease. Instead of retreating back to a standing position, the normally flawless and patient Russian opted to continue his attack from the floor. Moments later Werdum had secured Fedor's wrist and then quickly his head. After what would feel like an eternity to viewers, Emelianenko would motion for the submission.