Best UFC Submission Artists Ranked: 2026

Who Are the Best Submission Artists in the UFC?

These fighters don't just threaten submissions — they finish with them at rates that the market consistently undervalues because casual bettors focus on striking statistics and knockouts.

Charles Oliveira is the undisputed number one. Seventeen UFC submissions, the all-time record. Forty-seven submission attempts, another record. His technique library includes rear-naked chokes, d'arce chokes, triangles, guillotines, and armbars — and he's finished elite opponents with all of them. The YouTube ranking says flatly: "He has the best d'arce in UFC history. Just straight up." His submission method of victory props in every fight he takes are the most reliable in the sport.

Islam Makhachev is the rear-naked choke and d'arce choke specialist that analysts describe as uniquely dangerous in scrambles. The YouTube breakdown makes the specific point that if you stuff his takedown, you still end up submitted — because his submission hunting happens off failed takedown attempts, not just from dominant top position. His submission props are undervalued because the market focuses on his wrestling dominance rather than his submission finishing rate.

Khamzat Chimaev appears on the YouTube top-10 submission list with an excellent rear-naked choke and a creative face crank finish of Robert Whittaker that showed a submission variety most people hadn't seen from him. His grappling variety is specifically praised as underappreciated, which creates value on his submission props when the market prices him primarily as a pressure wrestler.

Read more: The Best Submission Artists in the UFC Ranked for 2026

Who Rounds Out the Top Ten?

• Alexandre Pantoja: Flyweight champion with multiple submission defenses and attacks, elite from top position. His submission threats in title defenses are constant even when fights go to the scorecards, which creates prop value on submission attempts over/under lines in his fights.
• Sean Brady: YouTube top-10 number eight with elite positional grappling that threatens submissions constantly from top. The note that he's "a little overrated" on the list is interesting — even if he's ranked slightly high, he's still a legitimate top-ten submission artist who creates submission threat props worth exploring.
• Anthony Hernandez: YouTube number seven with five UFC submission wins across diverse techniques. Particularly dangerous from back position in ways his moneyline doesn't always reflect. Submission method of victory props on Hernandez fights are underpriced relative to his actual finishing rate from back control.
• Jim Miller: Twelve UFC submissions, second all-time, with 47 submission attempts tied for the record. At 41 years old and still active, his technique library is essentially unmatched for longevity and creativity. The fact that he's still competing and still submitting people at his age creates novelty value in his props.
• Merab Dvalishvili: Fight fans underrate his submission rate because he wins so many fights by decision, but the threats are constant throughout his grappling exchanges. His submission attempts prop is worth targeting in fights where his takedown volume creates repeated ground opportunities.
• Arman Tsarukyan: Submission via rear-naked choke is his primary finisher and he's dangerous in every scramble at lightweight. Top-three lightweight grappler whose submission props are worth targeting in fights against opponents who haven't shown elite scrambling ability.
• Brian Ortega: Historic submission artist at featherweight with multiple spectacular rear-naked choke and guillotine wins over former champions including Frankie Edgar and Chan Sung Jung. Still ranked top-five featherweight officially and his submission method of victory props carry value in every fight given his historical finishing rate.

Notable 2026 Submission Moments

The fan-voted Tapology top submissions of early 2026 include Mario Bautista's rear-naked choke in February 2026 and Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey, both representing the kind of spectacular finishes that remind the betting market why submission props deserve serious attention on every card.

How to Bet Fights Involving Elite Submission Artists

The practical framework for using submission rankings in actual betting decisions.

• Method of victory props: Oliveira's submission rate makes submission method of victory props the most reliable single prop bet in the UFC. When he's fighting anyone who hasn't shown elite scrambling ability, the submission prop at plus money is almost always worth a position.
• Makhachev submission props: His submission finishing rate off failed takedown attempts is specifically undervalued because the market focuses on his wrestling. When he's a heavy favorite, the submission method of victory prop often pays plus money despite being one of his primary finishing mechanisms.
• Chimayev submission variety: His submission props are worth exploring when the market prices him primarily as a wrestling-dominant fighter. The face crank and RNC variety means his submission method of victory isn't a one-dimensional threat.
• Live betting submission value: If Oliveira or Ortega is losing on the scorecards but still active and in scrambles, their live moneyline at plus money combined with a submission prop creates the highest expected value combination in UFC live betting. Their submission ability doesn't diminish with adversity — it often increases.
• Takedown and submission attempt correlation: In fights where an elite submission artist gets repeated takedowns, their submission attempt prop over is almost always worth backing before the fight starts. Dvalishvili and Pantoja create the most consistent correlation between takedown volume and submission attempt totals.

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