5 most shocking submission wins in the UFC in 2021

#4. Vicente Luque (against Tyron Woodley at UFC 260)

Vicente Luque began 2021 as the No.10-ranked fighter in the UFC's welterweight division. 'The Silent Assassin' had a shot at breaking into the top 10 in 2019 when he took on Stephen Thompson at UFC 244. However, he came up short on that occasion.

Luque rebounded with impressive stoppage victories over Niko Price and Randy Brown in 2020. He finally got another shot at breaking into the top 10 when he took on former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley at UFC 260 earlier this year.

Woodley was coming off consecutive losses to Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington. 'The Chosen One' was undeniably motivated to return to winning ways when he took on Luque, as was evident in the first two minutes of the bout.

The former champion rocked Luque multiple times in the opening minutes, but failed to put him away. The resilient Brazilian then returned the favor and stunned Woodley with a series of heavy blows. As Woodley shot for a desperate takedown, Luque locked in a D'Arce choke and put the American to sleep.

The fight was incredible for as long as it lasted and won the 'Fight of the Night' bonus at UFC 260. It marked the end of Tyron Woodley's UFC career, who was released a few weeks later. Additionally, it marked the emergence of a new contender at 170 lbs.

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#3. Charles Oliveira (against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269)

Throughout his career, Charles Oliveira was accused of giving up in fights and not showing the heart of a champion. The Brazilian proved his doubters wrong in emphatic fashion at UFC 262 when he knocked out Michael Chandler to win the UFC lightweight title.

However, it was his next bout that truly changed the public perception of the Brazilian.

Oliveira took on Dustin Poirier in his first title defense at UFC 269, the final UFC pay-per-view of the year. The Brazilian was the betting underdog going into the fight, as many believed he would struggle against the power and pressure of 'The Diamond'. Additionally, Poirier was considered the 'uncrowned champ' going into the fight, despite Oliveira holding the belt.

However, Oliveira made a resounding statement with a stunning victory over Poirier. The fighters split the first two rounds. Poirier dropped the champion in the first, while Oliveira took the challenger down and controlled him in the second.

In the third, 'Do Bronx' jumped on his opponent's back and locked in a rear-naked choke. Poirier was forced to tap and Oliveira secured his first title defense. It was the Brazilian's 18th finish and 14th submission win in the UFC, both records.

The year saw Charles Oliveira go from being a top contender in the toughest division in the UFC to becoming an undisputed world champion. Moreover, there were a lot of lingering doubts surrounding the Brazilian's willingness to fight through adversity. He silenced his critics in style, producing two come-from-behind victories against top contenders in the 155 lbs division.