The best tapouts in UFC history: Part 1: Chokes

#3 Anaconda Choke – Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral vs. David Heath – UFC 74 – 08/25

The anaconda choke has been relatively rare inside the UFC Octagon but there have been a handful of notable fights that have seen it used. The most impressive – and most ruthless – was demonstrated by Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral against David Heath at UFC 74 in August 2007.

The two men had a personal issue going into the fight – namely that during the weigh-ins, Heath had worn a t-shirt showing Babalu’s police mugshot and then called him a “mother*cker” – something the Brazilian didn’t take too kindly to. Always an intense fighter, Sobral came in angrier than ever and took all of his frustrations out on Heath.

After a back-and-forth first round, Babalu secured a takedown in the second and used elbows to open a huge cut on Heath’s forehead, leaving the Octagon mat resembling a murder scene. And when Heath attempted to scramble free, Sobral locked up a perfect anaconda choke and rolled Heath over to finish it. Sure enough, Heath tapped out – but to send a message, Babalu refused to release the hold and instead put Heath to sleep, leaving him napping in a pool of his own blood.

It might’ve been one of the greatest – and most terrifying – submissions in UFC history, but Babalu’s aggressive actions came back to haunt him. The crowd booed him out of the building post-fight and then the UFC decided to release him from his contract for the unsportsmanlike behavior.