5 most lethal submission specialists in the UFC right now

#4. Mackenzie Dern – UFC strawweight

Mackenzie Dern is arguably the best grappler in all of women's MMA. Without a doubt, she is the most dangerous submission specialist in the UFC's strawweight division and has emerged as a legitimate threat to the title in recent years.

Dern put together an incredible grappling résumé prior to her transition to MMA. She is currently the only female Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor to have won Gold Medals at the black belt level at each of the five highest-ranked IBJJF Gi Championships.

She signed with the UFC after putting together an umblemished 5-0 professional record comprising three submissions. Since joining the world's premier MMA organization, she has gone 7-2 to launch herself into the upper echelons of the 115-pound weight class.

En route to earning her place in the divisional top five, she submitted the likes of Amanda Cooper, Hannah Cifers, Randa Markos and Nina Nunes. Currently ranked No.4 in the strawweight division, Dern is likely one or two wins away from a shot at gold.

While she has struggled against high-level strikers, her stand-up game has continued to improve with every passing fight. She is still in her late 20s and has a bright future ahead of her.

Watch a compilation of Mackenzie Dern's submission victories below:

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#3. Islam Makhachev – UFC lightweight

Many consider Islam Makhachev a future lightweight champion. He joined the promotion in 2015 and secured an impressive submission victory over Leo Kuntz in his octagon debut, setting the tone for what was to come from the Russian phenom.

After suffering the lone loss of his career so far in his next bout, Makhachev put together a ten-fight win streak to cement his status as a top contender at 155 pounds. 2021 was clearly his breakout year as he started the year as an unranked fighter and came into 2022 as a top-ranked contender.

Makhachev's professional record currently stands at 22-1. Out of his 22 career wins, 10 have come by way of submission. Now just one win away from a title shot, the Dagestani could finally fight for gold inside the next 12 months. With former lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov in his corner, the sky's the limit for this surging contender.

Watch a compilation of Islam Makhachev's finishes below: