5 MMA fighters who have techniques named after them

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Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar using the Kimura in the WWE

#4 Ezekiel choke

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The Ezekiel choke gets its name from a 2-time Olympic Judoka from Brazil, Ezequiel Paraguassu. While training for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at the Carlson Gracie Academy, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners were impressed with the Judoka's mastery of the technique. Since both judo and BJJ share the same outfit (the white GI), adopting the technique was easy because it is a Gi choke and the higher time limit in BJJ made it a mainstay of the sport.

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Ezequiel Paraguassu

What's most interesting is that Paraguassu moved to Switzerland after the Olympics and was completely unaware of the popularity of the choke. On a trip to Brazil nearly 20 years later, imagine his amazement when at a BJJ tournament, he heard a coach instructing one of his students to use the "Ezekiel choke".

The first name in MMA that comes to mind in connection with the Ezekiel choke is Ukrainian grappling wizard Oleksiy Oliynyk, who has a staggering 10 wins via the same. The "Boa Constrictor" pulled off the first Ezekiel choke win in UFC history last year at UFC Fight Night 103 against Victor Pesta.

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Edited by anirudh.b