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
31
Georges St-Pierre
Georges St-Pierre vs Josh Koscheck
25 Aug 2007
5
31
TJ Dillashaw
TJ Dillashaw vs Walel Watson
15 Feb 2012
5
31
Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida vs Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
29 Dec 2007
5
31
Jim Miller
Jim Miller vs David Baron
18 Oct 2008
5
31
Diego Sanchez
Diego Sanchez vs Jon Fitch
22 Sep 2007
5
31
Rick Story
Rick Story vs John Hathaway
13 Jun 2009
5
31
Paulo Thiago
Paulo Thiago vs Jon Fitch
11 Jul 2009
5
31
Dave Menne vs Josh Koscheck
28 Jun 2006
5
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31
Renato Sobral
Renato Sobral vs Kevin Randleman
11 Jan 2002
5
31
Tsuyoshi Kohsaka vs Pete Williams
16 Oct 1998
5
31
Matt Arroyo vs John Kolosci
8 Dec 2007
5
31
Matt Arroyo vs Dan Cramer
31 Jan 2009
5
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31
Luigi Fioravanti
Luigi Fioravanti vs Brodie Farber
10 Dec 2008
5
31
Ricardo Almeida
Ricardo Almeida vs Andrei Semenov
11 Jan 2002
5
31
Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle vs Jason Gilliam
7 Jul 2007
5

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 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.
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Most Submission Attempts in a UFC Fight: top 10

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

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