With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best submissions from January 2024: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Submission of the Month award for January.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting for your choice.
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Nominees
Nominee: Ewelina Wozniak def. Aleksandra Toncheva at KSW 90
Ewelina Wozniak (8-2) continued she show she’s a submission threat when she landed a rarely-seen finish over Aleksandra Toncheva (5-5-1) in their strawweight bout.
Wozniak took advantage of a grappling scramble in the second round and managed to lock her legs around Toncheva’s neck from the back for a reverse triangle choke. With her nose already bloodied and a difficulty to breathe, Toncheva could not fend off the choke and was forced to tap, crowing Wozniak as the winner.
What a debut!! What a submission!! Your Queen has arrived!! XTB #KSW90
🇵🇱 @Ewi_Wo_MMA 👑 pic.twitter.com/1AN1NsWiDi
— KSW (@KSW_MMA) January 20, 2024
Nominee: Jimmy Flick def. Malcolm Gordon at UFC 297
Just when Jimmy Flick (16-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) looked like he was going to be a highlight on someone else’s reel, he added another slick submission to his resume against Malcolm Gordon (14-8 MMA, 2-5 UFC).
In enemy territory in Toronto, Flick survived a damaging onslaught from Canada’s Gordon and rallied for a triangle choke finish early in the second round of the flyweight bout. Afterward, Gordon retired from MMA competition.
JIMMY FLICK GETS THE UPSET 😤#UFC297 is LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus 📺 pic.twitter.com/G43rMqHe6q
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 20, 2024
Nominee: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Priscila Cachoeira at UFC 297
Jasmine Jasudavicius (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) was nothing short of dominant on home soil in Canada when she used her superior grappling to completely overwhelm an overmatched Priscila Cachoeira (12-6 MMA, 4-6 UFC).
Jasudavicius landed a record-setting amount of strikes on Cachoeira in the women’s bantamweight bout before finishing the fight with an anaconda choke late in the third round in an emphatic performance.
ABSOLUTE DOMINANCE FROM JASMINE JASUDAVICIUS 😤#UFC297 is LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus 📺 pic.twitter.com/XJxpgIEM0z
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 21, 2024
Nominee: Sam Patterson def. Yohan Lainesse at UFC 297
Sam Patterson’s (11-2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) UFC debut didn’t go as he planned, but his second opportunity was more in line with his blueprint when he made quick work of fellow welterweight Yohan Lainesse (9-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC)
In what was his divisional debut, Patterson was patient on the feet. He grabbed hold of a front headlock on Lainesse before dragging it to the canvas. On the mat, Patterson worked to the back and eventually sunk in a rear-naked choke. Lainesse strained and strained – and eventually tapped.
First submission win for Sam Patterson in the UFC 🔒#UFC297 is LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus 📺 pic.twitter.com/xFsDjrW5Do
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 21, 2024
The winner
The winner: Jim Miller def. Gabriel Benitez at UFC Fight Night 234
With a slot at UFC 300 hanging in the balance, Jim Miller (37-17 MMA, 26-16 UFC) needed a solid performance against Gabriel Benitez (23-12 MMA, 7-7 UFC), and preferably one that left him relatively unscathed.
Miller found himself in an intense battle with fellow lightweight Gabriel Benitez through nearly two and a half rounds. However, Miller found a way to end the co-main bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas by submission, tapping Benitez with a face crank at 3:25 of Round 3.
ANOTHER ONE for @JimMiller_155 👏
He takes the all-time UFC wins record to 26 after that submission victory! #UFCVegas84 pic.twitter.com/Rv8l3WSWd7
— UFC (@ufc) January 14, 2024
Miller was on the attack early with crisp combinations and digging leg kicks. Seemingly every strike Benitez landed prompted Miller to return fire even harder. A pair of brief clinch battles were won by Miller, connecting with nice knees to the body.
Benitez looked to build momentum quickly in Round 2, but Miller answered immediately, making for intense exchanges. Switching things up, Miller completed a double leg to take the fight to the ground. Hard short elbows from Miller scored, but Benitez kept him honest with a slick armbar attempt. Miller escaped, scrambled, and controlled the back until the horn.
Both fighters sported bruises and swelling to begin the final frame. Heavy punches and kicks were traded for the first half of the round. Miller once again scored a clean takedown, and found his way to Benitez’s back. This time, Miller got his arm fully under the neck, and forced the tap for his 12th UFC submission win, and breaking his own record with his 26th octagon victory.
