The Top Five MMA Submissions of 2012

<strong>5. Demian Maia defeats Rick Story at UFC 153 </strong> <br> In his second contest at 170 lbs., Demian Maia entered the Octagon in front of his fellow Brazilians at UFC 153 in Rio opposite wrestler Rick Story. He earned a technical knockout victory in his debut at welterweight, but the submission ace had not tapped anyone out since February of 2009. That cold streak would end, however, as Maia managed to work to his opponent's back in the opening round, looking for the rear naked choke. Story defended well, and Maia was forced to go an alternate route. Abandoning the choke, Maia torqued Story's neck with a crank, forcing a tap at 2:30 of the first. Rarely does the neck crank technique work at the level of UFC talent, but the Brazilian displayed once again just how gifted a grappler he is.

<strong>4. Stefan Struve taps Lavar Johnson at UFC 146 </strong> <br> Stefan Struve is a stoppage machine, earning a submission or knockout in each of his last six fights, and his armbar victory over Lavar Johnson at UFC 146 was just another example of his talents. Now, Johnson has never been known for his submission defense, but his heavy hands earned him knockout wins in his first two UFC fights and he looked for another KO in his bout against the tallest fighter in the UFC. Rushing forward early in the fight, per the usual, Johnson immediately found himself tied up with his lanky opponent. Effortlessly, Struve latched on an armbar, and Johnson was forced to tap just after the one-minute mark. Submitting Johnson is hardly the most impressive feat one can accomplish in MMA, but the ease in which Struve was able to accomplish his task, along with the fact he needed just 65 seconds, earns him a well-deserved spot on our list.

<strong>3. Chan Sung Jung submits Poirier at UFC on FUEL TV 3 </strong> <br> Chan Sung Jung and Dustin Poirier put on a "Fight of the Year" candidate at May's UFC on FUEL TV event, battling back-and-forth for a competitive three rounds. But Jung, also known as "The Korean Zombie," really shined in the fourth of five scheduled frames. Just as Poirier was beginning to rally back after a fairly rough start, Jung overpowered his opponent up against the cage, locking on a D'Arce choke. In an attempt to survive, Poirier rolled away to the mat, but the choke was in and he couldn't escape. The D'Arce choke is a rarity in the UFC, making the submission a significant one. But the fact Jung locked one on in the fourth round of an exciting contest makes this sub all the more special.

<strong>2. Charles Oliveira calf slices Wisely at UFC on FOX 2 </strong> <br> In his debut at featherweight, Charles Oliveira faced Eric Wisely at UFC on FOX 2 last January, and the BJJ specialist was one of the first to enter into the "Submission of the Year" talk for 2012. In the very first round of the contest, the fight went to the floor where Oliveira landed one of the most painful submissions, a calf slicer. Cringing in pain, Wisely tapped out. As the photo above displays, there was nothing fun about this submission for the victim, but Oliveira handiwork is something to be recognized.

<strong>1. Ronda Rousey submits Tate at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey </strong> <br> Ronda Rousey quickly rose to superstardom in 2012, and her victory over Miesha Tate this past March played a large role in that. Prior to the bout, Rousey had yet to face a true name-value opponent, but the Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Tate was exactly the type of match up Rousey could use as a launching pad into the mainstream. Tate remained competitive for the first four minutes of the first round, and it appeared as if Rousey would go to the second round of a fight for the first time in her career. But her signature armbar submission returned as the seconds ticked away, and Tate was forced to tap at the 4:27 mark. Rousey would go on to defend her title once before signing with the UFC and becoming the promotion's first-ever women's champion. Not a bad 2012 for "Rowdy," huh?