UFC submission of the month for January 2025: Islam Makhachev's sensational vice-like D'Arce choke to finish short-notice opponent Renato Moicano

Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev garnered laudation from the MMA community yet again, putting on a dominant display of his grappling prowess in his most recent octagon appearance. Makhachev headlined the UFC 311 event on Jan. 18, 2025. It was the second UFC main roster card of the 2025 calendar year.

Makhachev swiftly submitted fellow grappling savant, Brazil's Renato Moicano, to cap off the card in style. The fight's short-notice booking, chaotic start, and smooth finish all make the Dagestani combatant's victory our pick for the best UFC submission of the month for January 2025.

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UFC submission of the month for January 2025: Islam Makhachev vs. Renato Moicano

Initially, UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev was booked to defend his title in a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311. Makhachev previously bested Tsarukyan via unanimous decision in a non-title bout in 2019. Their rematch was one of the much-awaited fights of 2025, but Tsarukyan was afflicted by a back injury during fight week and withdrew around a day before UFC 311.

Elsewhere on the UFC 311 card, Renato Moicano was scheduled to fight Beneil Dariush. After Tsarukyan's withdrawal from the event, the UFC roped in Moicano to fight Makhachev for the latter's lightweight belt.

The championship bout saw Makhachev suffer a slip, which some argued was a knockdown. Moicano's striking seemed to keep the champion on the back foot. However, soon after the slip sequence, he shot for a takedown and got Moicano to the mat with relative ease.

What followed was simply signature Dagestani grappling brilliance, with excellent top pressure by Makhachev and constant threats of ground and pound as well as submissions. At one point, Makhachev appeared to give up some space, and Moicano attempted to get back to his feet.

The champion capitalized and went for his neck, securing a vice-like D'Arce choke and making Moicano tap. The fight ended at the 4:05-minute mark of round one, and Makhachev was declared the winner via submission. He now boasts the most consecutive UFC lightweight title defenses (4).

Watch the submission below (0:55):

Many underscored that it was Islam Makhachev's stellar technique in cohesion with his athleticism that enabled him to lock such a tight choke and almost instantly tap a BJJ black belt like Renato Moicano. Makhachev subsequently reaffirmed his desire to become a two-division UFC champion.

The grappling wizard, with ever-evolving striking skills, even spoke about possibly achieving three-division champion status by capturing the welterweight and middleweight belts.

Furthermore, Renato Moicano acknowledged Makhachev's craftiness after the defeat. Apparently, he felt he was getting the better of the champion in the striking realm. On his Show Me The Money podcast, Moicano alluded that he agreed with UFC welterweight and fellow BJJ savant, Gilbert Burns, who opined that Makhachev had set a trap in their grappling exchange.

Moicano implied that Makhachev lulled him into a false sense of security by momentarily giving him some space and then pounced at his neck when he was in a vulnerable position:

"I was surprised by how fast he went to the neck. Like, Gilbert [Burns] was saying, I think that was a trap, and now, I think so too -- because I was creating space, and he kind of gave my space [away]."

Check out Renato Moicano's assessment below: