5 most lethal submission specialists in the UFC right now

Back in 1993, the first-ever UFC championship was won by way of submission. Royce Gracie choked out Dutch kickboxer Gerard Gordeau in the finalé of UFC 1 to become the promotion's inaugural champion. Since then, numerous submission specialists have graced the famed octagon.

As the sport continues to evolve, and as fighters ubiquitiously become more well-rounded, it's becoming harder to stand out as a world-class grappler. As those with a striking background improve their takedown defense, high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners are finding it difficult to get the fight to the mat.

However, some fighters stand out as dangerous submission threats despite their peers' obvious improvements in the grappling realm. These individuals have solid Brazilian jiu-jitsu backgrounds, with some being multi-time champions in the discipline.

On that note, here are the five most lethal submission specialists in the UFC right now. Honorable mentions include Bryce Mitchell, Sean Brady, Andre Muniz, Tom Aspinall and Gilbert Burns.

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#5. Brian Ortega – UFC featherweight

Brian Ortega is among the best featherweights in the world right now. 'T-City' joined the UFC as an undefeated prospect back in 2014 and has enjoyed a rampant rise up the ranks. He has never lost a non-championship bout, and at just 31, the Californian still has plenty to offer.

Interestingly, the 'T' in his fighter nickname 'T-City' stands for triangle, which is his favorite type of submission.

Ortega is a first-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Rener Gracie. Out of his 15 professional MMA career wins, 7 have come via submission. His victories over Diego Brandao, Renato Moicano and Cub Swanson stand out as some of his best performances on the world's biggest stage.

Ortega's impeccable grappling saw him come agonizingly close to winning gold last year. In his second attempt at the title, 'T-City' took on reigning featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 266. After being picked apart for the first two-and-a-half rounds, he put the champion in a tight guillotine choke, which Volkanovski ultimately escaped.

#4. Mackenzie Dern – UFC strawweight

Mackenzie Dern is arguably the best grappler in all of women's MMA. Without a doubt, she is the most dangerous submission specialist in the UFC's strawweight division and has emerged as a legitimate threat to the title in recent years.

Dern put together an incredible grappling résumé prior to her transition to MMA. She is currently the only female Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor to have won Gold Medals at the black belt level at each of the five highest-ranked IBJJF Gi Championships.

She signed with the UFC after putting together an umblemished 5-0 professional record comprising three submissions. Since joining the world's premier MMA organization, she has gone 7-2 to launch herself into the upper echelons of the 115-pound weight class.

En route to earning her place in the divisional top five, she submitted the likes of Amanda Cooper, Hannah Cifers, Randa Markos and Nina Nunes. Currently ranked No.4 in the strawweight division, Dern is likely one or two wins away from a shot at gold.

While she has struggled against high-level strikers, her stand-up game has continued to improve with every passing fight. She is still in her late 20s and has a bright future ahead of her.

Watch a compilation of Mackenzie Dern's submission victories below:

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#3. Islam Makhachev – UFC lightweight

Many consider Islam Makhachev a future lightweight champion. He joined the promotion in 2015 and secured an impressive submission victory over Leo Kuntz in his octagon debut, setting the tone for what was to come from the Russian phenom.

After suffering the lone loss of his career so far in his next bout, Makhachev put together a ten-fight win streak to cement his status as a top contender at 155 pounds. 2021 was clearly his breakout year as he started the year as an unranked fighter and came into 2022 as a top-ranked contender.

Makhachev's professional record currently stands at 22-1. Out of his 22 career wins, 10 have come by way of submission. Now just one win away from a title shot, the Dagestani could finally fight for gold inside the next 12 months. With former lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov in his corner, the sky's the limit for this surging contender.

Watch a compilation of Islam Makhachev's finishes below:

#2. Paul Craig – UFC light heavyweight

Paul Craig's resurgence in the UFC light heavyweight division has been incredible to watch. Three years ago, he was on the cusp of being released from the promotion after back-to-back defeats to Khalil Rountree Jr. and Tyson Pedro.

Craig was then booked to face undefeated Russian prodigy Magomed Ankalaev in his next outing and came in as a massive betting underdog. After getting picked apart throughout the fight, the Scot pulled off a jaw-dropping triangle choke in the dying seconds of the bout, forcing his Dagestani counterpart to tap. This remains the only blemish on Ankalaev's record.

'Bearjew' is unbeaten in his last six fights. In his most recent outing, the grappling phenom took on Nikita Krylov at the O2 Arena in London, England. He added yet another submission win to his record as he forced Krylov to tap to a triangle choke in the very first round.

Paul Craig's professional record stands at 16-4, with 13 career wins coming via submission. His all-action approach makes him incredibly entertaining and he has emerged as a fan-favorite in recent times as a result.

Craig is one of only a handful of fighters who boasts a 100% finish rate. Now ranked in the top ten of the 205-pound division, he will be eyeing a few more notable scalps en route to a title shot. The Scotsman will turn 35 later this year and is targeting one final run at UFC gold. With his menacing ground game, 'Bearjew' can never be counted out.

Watch a compilation of Paul Craig's submissions below:

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#1. Charles Oliveira – UFC lightweight

Charles Oliveira is the best submission specialist in UFC history, period.

Oliveira is not only the most lethal grappler in the promotion, but the best finisher as well. Since joining the organization way back in 2010, the Brazilian has racked up 21 submissions and 30 finishes overall. 'Do Bronx', with all his accolades and records, is undoubtedly a future Hall of Fame inductee.

For over a decade, Oliveira endured a tumultuous run in the promotion that culminated in breathtaking fashion against Michael Chandler last year. He became the UFC lightweight champion with his win over Chandler and subsequently defended his belt against Dustin Poirier seven months later.

Adding to his record for most submission wins and finishes in promotional history, 'Do Bronx' sunk in a rear-naked choke in the third round of the bout against Poirier, forcing 'The Diamond' to tap. In his next outing, Oliveira secured a first-round submission win over Justin Gaethje.

Watch a compilation of Charles Oliveira's finishes below: