The best tapouts in UFC history: Part 3: Leglocks

Continuing our series looking at the best tapouts in UFC history, today I’ll be looking at the best leglock submissions we’ve seen in the Octagon.

Successful leglocks are comparatively rare when compared to chokes or armlocks, largely because they carry a major risk in MMA – to commit to a leglock runs the risk of being hit with largely unprotected punches to the head – but if they are successful, they’re both a thing of brutality and beauty rolled into one.

Here are 5 of the best leglock tapouts in UFC history.

#1: Heel Hook – Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal – UFC 111 – 03/27/2010

Tomasz Drwal was left in agony by Rousimar Palhares' heel hook

Usually considered the most dangerous of all leglocks, the heel hook sees the attacker transversely twist the opponent’s foot medially, putting severe torque on the ankle which in turn places severe torque on the knee. This can severely injure knee ligaments such as the ACL and MCL – injuries that would put a fighter out for a long time.

When you mention heel hooks in the UFC, there’s only one name that comes to mind – Brazilian grappler Rousimar Palhares. Known as ‘Toquinho’, Palhares came into the UFC in 2008 with the reputation of a ruthless leglock specialist who was renowned for holding onto his leglocks – particularly heel hooks – after the opponent had tapped out, often ensuring an injury.

This habit caught up to him eventually in the Octagon – he was released in 2013 after holding onto a heel hook he’d applied to Mike Pierce after Pierce had tapped – but with 4 heel hook submissions in the UFC you can’t knock his technique.

The best – and most devastating – heel hook he used in the Octagon was against Tomasz Drwal in 2010. After slipping on an attempted kick, Drwal fell to his back and that was all Palhares needed – he dived onto the left leg of the Polish fighter and latched on, quickly applying a heel hook. Drwal instantly tapped out in agony – but Palhares applied more pressure even as the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Drwal thankfully came away from the fight uninjured – but Palhares was swiftly slapped with a suspension for his infraction. Even so, the tapout demonstrated the effectiveness – and devastating nature – of the heel hook.

#2: Kneebar – Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar – UFC 81 – 02/02/2008

Frank Mir's kneebar of Brock Lesnar is legendary

By far the most aesthetically impressive of the leglocks, the kneebar sees the attacker hyper-extend the opponent’s leg at the knee joint, using the hips for leverage and the attacker’s own legs to trap the opponent’s limb. The kneebar can be applied from various angles and positions – and fighters have even been known to roll into the hold, making it look even more impressive.

The most famous kneebar in UFC history though came from one of the most prolific submission artists to ever set foot in the Octagon – former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir. His victim on this occasion? Former WWE superstar – making his UFC debut – Brock Lesnar.

In the early going of the fight, it looked like Lesnar was going to maul Mir. He used his extensive wrestling background to tackle Mir to the ground instantly and began to do damage with his ground-and-pound before a questionable stand-up reset the fight. Undeterred, Lesnar knocked Mir down with punches, and continued his assault, but Mir was eventually able to spin away from harm.

With Lesnar standing over him looking to dish out more punishment, Mir quickly spun his hips around and caught Lesnar’s right leg, quickly lacing his own legs around the limb to control it. Despite Lesnar showing tremendous strength – hopping on his other leg and dragging the 250lbs Mir across the mat – Mir locked the hold in, applying a figure-four with his legs to trap Lesnar’s knee.

Seconds later, Mir had hyperextended the leg and Lesnar was forced to tap out. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ would get revenge over Mir just over a year later when the two rematched, but this kneebar remains one of the most memorable submissions in UFC history – and a fitting end to a wildly exciting fight.

#3: Hamstring Stretch – Kenny Robertson vs. Brock Jardine – UFC 157 – 02/23/2013

Kenny Robertson introduced the UFC - and Brock Jardine - to the nasty hamstring stretch in 2013

A unique submission alternatively named the ‘Suloev Stretch’ after the man who purportedly invented it - former UFC fighter Amar Suloev – the hamstring stretch is set up by an attacking fighter from the back mount position. From there the attacker slides higher up on the opponent’s body than in a regular back mount, reaches down to secure the opponent’s leg, and pulls it forward, attempting to straighten it.

Combined with the pressure of the attacker’s hips forcing the opponent’s body forwards, this hold unnaturally stretches and extends the hamstring – thus forcing the victim to tap out, usually in agony.

The move was introduced to the UFC by wrestler Kenny Robertson in 2013. Robertson – not usually known for his exciting fight style – was faced with fellow wrestler Brock Jardine. After an early takedown and a guillotine attempt from Jardine, Robertson was able to pass the guard and found himself in side mount. After a brief scramble, he took Jardine’s back and slapped both of his hooks in.

When a rear naked choke attempt did not work, Robertson moved into a higher back mount as Jardine took a kneeling position. From there, Robertson reached down and clasped hold of Jardine’s left leg, and then pulled it forward, while at the same time forcing his hips and body backward using his own legs as hooks.

The tapout came seconds later, while the announcers errantly referred to the submission as a kneebar. That wasn’t the case – it was far more unique than that, although a version of the move recently used by Aljamain Sterling did injure opponent Cody Stamman’s knee.

A rare move, the hamstring stretch is no less devastating than any other leglock – and Robertson’s version belongs with the best tapout in UFC history.

#4: Achilles Lock – Andrei Arlovski vs. Tim Sylvia – UFC 51 – 02/05/2005

Andrei Arlovski won the UFC Heavyweight title with an Achilles lock in 2005

The Achilles lock – a hold which applies compression to the Achilles tendon by forcing it into the back of the ankle and lower leg – is a relatively low-percentage submission in MMA and inside the UFC too, perhaps for the reason that Bas Rutten often gave when he was commentating in PRIDE.

That reason? Rutten argued that as the hold was a “pain” submission – meaning the victim wouldn’t suffer injury or lose consciousness as a result of it being applied – there was no real reason to tap out to it. Maybe Rutten had a point, but even so, there have been examples of the Achilles lock working to great effect – and in this instance, it was enough to win Andrei Arlovski the Interim UFC Heavyweight title.

Faced with the giant Tim Sylvia at UFC 51, Arlovski was going into the fight as a slight underdog based on Sylvia’s long reach, punching power, and the fact that ‘The Pitbull’ had been knocked out on two occasions previously in the UFC. Surprisingly enough though, the fight was over in just 47 seconds, and in Arlovski’s favour too.

Slipping a lazy punch from Sylvia, Arlovski countered and dropped ‘The Maine-iac’ with a short right hand to the temple. Before Sylvia could attempt to get to his feet, Arlovski dived onto his flailing left leg and applied an Achilles lock, grapevining the limb with both of his own legs for more control.

Moments later, Sylvia was tapping out and Arlovski was declared the new Interim UFC Heavyweight champion.

Given Sylvia’s noted toughness – he survived numerous bad situations during his UFC tenure – Arlovski’s version of the Achilles lock clearly must’ve been special to force him to submit – meaning it belongs up there with the best leglocks in UFC history.

#5: Calf Slicer – Brett Johns vs. Joe Soto – UFC: Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale – 12/01/2017

Brett Johns used the rare calf slicer to submit Joe Soto

The calf slicer is a compression lock that uses a fulcrum – usually the attacker’s shin – inserted into the crook of the opponent’s leg to force the calf muscle into the bone, creating both serious pressure and serious pain. Due to the fact that it can also damage the knee joint, the calf slicer is often banned in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions.

Of course, in MMA it’s totally legal, but that doesn’t mean it’s a high-percentage submission hold. In the 25-year history of the UFC the calf slicer has only been used to force a tapout twice; once by Brazilian Charles Oliveira – who currently holds the record for most submission wins in UFC history – and once by Welshman Brett Johns.

Despite Oliveira’s being the original, Johns’ version was probably the more impressive, due to the method in which he applied the hold. Opponent Joe Soto was actually on offense, reaching for a single leg takedown, when Johns decided to go for the move.

In slick fashion, ‘The Pikey’ used his right arm to hook Soto’s left leg, dropped to his back and then rolled backward, quickly securing his legs around Soto’s limb and using his own left shin as a fulcrum. Before Soto even knew what was going on, Johns pulled downwards on his left foot – locking in the calf slicer to devastating effect – and the former title challenger was forced to tap out.

Whether or not we see another calf slicer in the UFC in the future is a question mark but even if we don’t, we’ll always have the beauty – and viciousness – of Johns’ to look back upon as one of the all-time great UFC tapouts.