Fabrício Werdum def. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, R2 armbar, UFC on Fuel TV 10 How odd is it for Big Nog to be on the wrong end of a submission of the year candidate two years running? Werdum won the 2010 submission of the year with his epic upset win over Fedor Emelianenko. Anthony Pettis def. Benson Henderson, R1 armbar, UFC 164 Did that just happen? Anthony Pettis cut through Ben Henderson so fast at first nobody knew he'd been submitted. Caught with Pettis hanging off his arm, Henderson verbally submitted and Pettis let go. Referee Herb Dean only had to wave off the fight. Rose Namajunas def. Kathina Catron, R1 flying armbar, Invicta FC 5 It only took Thug Rose 12-seconds to send Kathina Catron packing at Invicta FC 5. Namajunas' first round flying armbar was one of the most spectacular submission wins of the year and in WMMA history. Ronda Rousey def. Miesha Tate, R3 armbar, UFC 168 Ronda Rousey's armbar setups are some of the best in all of MMA. They go well beyond trademark moves like Urijah Faber's guillotine or Cody McKenzie's Kenzitine. Rousey is now 8-0 in MMA with 8 armbar victories. At least this time Tate tapped out before getting her arm snapped.
It wasn't a year for outrageous submissions. Pettis had the most important one but Namajunas' was the most spectacular.