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All MMA and UFC fans love a good finish, especially a knockout, but submissions are just as exciting and sometimes happen even faster than a knockout.
When a true grappler, like a Demian Maia or any of the Gracies, gets someone to the ground you know a finish can happen at any moment. One wrong move by the opponent and their neck or limbs may be exposed for a submission. Although most submissions take time to set up with a takedown and getting into a certain position, some happen in the blink of an eye, but how fast is the quickest in UFC history?
Fastest submission in UFC history
Everyone knows Jorge Masvidal's flying knee KO over Ben Askren is the fastest knockout in UFC history but not many know the fastest submission. Well, that honor goes to Oleg Taktarov.
At UFC 6 on July 14, 1995, the 4-1 Russian in Taktarov took on the 1-1 Anthony Macias. Taktarov was a Sambo specialist, while Macias was an excellent Muay Thai fighter, so he theoretically wanted to keep it standing. However, when the opening bell ran, it was Macias who shot for a bad takedown and the Russian snatched his neck and made him tap in just nine seconds. Even though that it happened 25 years ago, it still remains the fastest submission in UFC history.
What makes it more impressive is the fact that this was not the first time that Taktarov got a quick submission in the UFC. In the fight preceding this, he submitted Dave Beneteau in 57 seconds and five months later tapped out Beneteau again, but this time in 75 seconds.
Oleg Taktarov is now 52 years old and has not fought professionally since 2008 when he submitted Mark Kerr at YAMMA Pit in New Jersey. He ended his career with a record of 17-5-2 and had a notable win over Tank Abbott and had a draw against Frank Shamrock at UFC 7.
Anthony Macias, meanwhile, is now 51 years old and last fought back in 2014, ending his career on a four-fight losing skid. He retired with a record of 26-18 but will go down as the person who got submitted in the fastest time in UFC history.
Who almost has the record?
In the UFC, there has been 67 submissions that have happened in under a minute, including several that happened in 2020 like Kevin Croom vs. Roosevelt Roberts, Brian Kelleher vs. Ray Rodriguez, and Renato Moicano vs. Damir Hadzovic.
There is no shortage on honorable mentions for the fastest submission record in the UFC but the next closest happened at UFC 4 when Joe Charles submitted Kevin Rosier in 14 seconds. It was Charles' pro debut while Rosier was 1-1 coming into the fight.
One of the most memorable submissions in UFC history is the third on the fastest of all time list and that is Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano. In the main event of UFC 184, Rousey was taking on a fellow undefeated fighter in Zingano. Many expected this to be a close fight but it was far from it.
To begin the fight, Zingano threw a flying knee which Rousey caught before throwing her to the ground. Once that happened, the former bantamweight champion got into side control and attempted to take her back. After that, she got her patented armbar and tapped Zingano out in 14 seconds to defend her belt for the fifth time.
The fastest submission in UFC history still belongs to Oleg Taktarov and it is a record that he has held for 25 years.
