Most Submission Attempts in a UFC Fight

Most submission attempts by one fighter in a single fight. UFC bouts with round-by-round data, 1994–present.

Filters All divisions · Single fighter
50 record performances
1
Cole Miller
Cole Miller vs Leonard Garcia
19 Sep 2007
10
2
Hermes Franca vs Richard Crunkilton
25 Apr 2003
9
3
Ivan Salaverry vs Andrei Semenov
10 May 2002
8
3
James Wilks
James Wilks vs DaMarques Johnson
20 Jun 2009
8
5
Stefan Struve
Stefan Struve vs Denis Stojnic
13 Jun 2009
7
5
Louis Smolka
Louis Smolka vs Ben Nguyen
13 Jul 2016
7
5
Chas Skelly
Chas Skelly vs Sean Soriano
5 Sep 2014
7
5
Evan Dunham
Evan Dunham vs Sean Sherk
25 Sep 2010
7
Advertisement
5
Ryan Hall
Ryan Hall vs Darrick Minner
11 Dec 2021
7
5
Tim Credeur vs Nick Catone
1 Apr 2009
7
5
TJ Waldburger
TJ Waldburger vs David Mitchell
15 Sep 2010
7
5
Tamdan McCrory
Tamdan McCrory vs Luke Cummo
9 Aug 2008
7
Advertisement
5
Damon Jackson
Damon Jackson vs Mirsad Bektic
19 Sep 2020
7
5
Jason Black
Jason Black vs Matt Grice
20 Oct 2007
7
5
Alex Caceres
Alex Caceres vs Edwin Figueroa
4 Feb 2012
7

The most submission attempts ever recorded in a single UFC fight — relentless hunting for the finish, whether or not the tap came.

The Most Submission Attempts in a Single UFC Fight

Some grapplers do not just control — they hunt. This record book ranks the most active submission performances in UFC history by total submission attempts in a single bout, by one fighter and by both combined.

A fight with eight or ten submission attempts is a relentless finishing chase, where a grappler threatens the tap from every position while an opponent scrambles to survive. Use the Single Fighter and Combined tabs and the division filter to explore the most dangerous grappling nights on record.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the record for the most submission attempts in a UFC fight?
Cole Miller, with 10 submission attempts. Set against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night: Thomas vs Florian, September 2007. Second: Hermes Franca (9). Measured over UFC bouts with round-by-round statistics recorded on MMA.SOCIAL. A bout with no per-round data cannot appear here.
What counts as a submission attempt?
A submission attempt is logged whenever a fighter actively applies or works for a submission hold — a choke, armbar, leglock, or similar — with real intent to finish. Fleeting grips are not counted; the stat reflects genuine finishing threats.
Why do some grappling fights have so many attempts without a finish?
Elite grapplers defend submissions as well as they attack them, so a top-tier scrambler can chain five, eight, or ten attempts against an opponent skilled enough to survive each one. Those fights become breathless back-and-forth chess matches that top this list.
Does the fighter with the most submission attempts usually win?
Usually, but not always: constant submission threats tend to sway the judges and often lead to the finish, yet a determined defender can survive to a decision. Every row links to the fight page, so you can see when the finish-hunting paid off and when the opponent escaped.
What is the difference between the single and combined records?
The single view counts one fighter's submission attempts in a bout; the combined view adds both fighters together, which surfaces the scrambles where both athletes were hunting a finish rather than one grappler working on a defender.
Most Submission Attempts in a UFC Fight - top 10 (MMA.SOCIAL): 1. Cole Miller vs Leonard Garcia (10), 2. Hermes Franca vs Richard Crunkilton (9), 3. Ivan Salaverry vs Andrei Semenov (8), 3. James Wilks vs DaMarques Johnson (8), 5. Stefan Struve vs Denis Stojnic (7), 5. Chas Skelly vs Sean Soriano (7), 5. Louis Smolka vs Ben Nguyen (7), 5. Evan Dunham vs Sean Sherk (7), 5. Ryan Hall vs Darrick Minner (7), 5. Tim Credeur vs Nick Catone (7)
Most Submission Attempts in a UFC Fight - top 10, updated Oct 20, 2026.
Share image

Most Submission Attempts in a UFC Fight: top 10

The top 10 as one image. Free to share, updated after every UFC card.

Download image Open full size

What is the record for the most submission attempts in a UFC fight?

Cole Miller, with 10 submission attempts.

Set against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night: Thomas vs Florian, September 2007. Second: Hermes Franca (9).

Measured over UFC bouts with round-by-round statistics recorded on MMA.SOCIAL. A bout with no per-round data cannot appear here.