Most Dangerous Submission Artist by Division

Every Mixed Martial Arts fight starts with both fighters standing. That much is certain.

But in MMA, fights can also be fought on the ground, through grappling and submission holds.

True Mixed Marital Artists can handle themselves whether they are striking or grappling with an opponent. Submissions are a huge part of MMA, as in the blink of an eye a fight can be stopped due to a joint lock, compression hold or a choke.

Each weight class of MMA has its own submission whizzes that wow us with their phenomenal technique, which is like looking at a work of art.

Let's examine the best submission artists by each division.

Bantamweight: Miguel Torres

Miguel Torres is the ultimate savvy veteran, especially when it comes to the grappling department.

Torres holds a professional record of 39-4 in his career, with an astounding 23 victories coming by way of submission. And although he hasn't submitted anybody since late 2010, it hasn't been due to lack of effort.

In a controversial decision loss to Demetrious Johnson in May of last year, Torres used an active guard to pressure Johnson with constant submission attempts and sweeps to get off his back. Although he was viewed as the more active fighter on the ground, he did walk away with a loss.

Soon, he will make his way back to the Octagon to face rising star Michael McDonald. Perhaps Torres can get back to his lethal submission game to walk away a victor.

Submission of Choice: The triangle choke, which accounts for eight of his submissions (34.7 percent).

Featherweight: Rani Yahya

Rani Yahya's game plan is pretty simple. Get the fight to the ground, get into position and choke the life out of the opposition.

This game plan is obvious to all opposition, but it is too hard to stop somebody as well versed on the ground as Rani Yahya.

Although his last submission was in 2009, he remains one of the best submission artists in the featherweight division.

Yahya is 16-7 in his professional MMA career, with 14 of his wins coming by submission. Yahya is like an anaconda once he gets the choke, squeezing the life out of his prey until they have no choice but to give up.

He is probably one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists in the lighter weight classes (135 and 145) that came from WEC.

Submission of Choice: Yahya uses a variety of chokes, not having one submission that dominates his record. He has four submissions which he has pulled of the same/most amount of times. These submissions are the guillotine choke, rear naked choke, arm triangle choke and north-south choke.

Lightweight: Shinya Aoki

I was not going to include Shinya Aoki on the list, based simply off the fact that I believe he does not fight the level of competition that he should be fighting. But, knowing I would probably get grilled by readers, I will give him a hesitant nod.

Aoki is one of the most fierce submission men in the game. Holding a 30-5 (1 NC) record, he has submitted 19 opponents by a number of different submission maneuvers. His last submission win came a couple months ago over Rob McCullough.

His arm and leg locks are devastating. His chokes are marvelous. He even does compression locks better than almost any man in the world.

In short, he is world class. One has to wonder, though, if these ground skills would work against the best in the world—which I believe he has not faced.

Submission of Choice: Five of Aoki's victories have come by way of armbar. An even more impressive fact is that he has four neck crank submission wins, as well as two gogoplata wins, which is rare and impressive.

Welterweight: Matt Hughes

Matt Hughes is not who you would think the best welterweight submission man in the game is, due to his amateur wrestling background—but do not be fooled as he is a maestro on the ground.

Holding a pro record of 45-9, with 20 wins by submission, Hughes is a black belt without a black belt. He submits men with better grappling credentials than himself. He even would have submitted Royce Gracie had he not let go of the hold, fearing Gracie's arm would break.

Hughes last submission came in late 2010, when he choked out Ricardo Almeida with a wrestling headlock. Hughes's squeeze was so tight that a head-control move made Almeida unconscious.

It is obvious that Hughes's best days are behind him, but he definitely is one of the most feared submission artists.

Submission of Choice: Showing off his well rounded skills, Hughes has three submissions that claim the most-used submission finishes in his arsenal—the rear naked choke, arm triangle choke and armbar, thus proving his dangerous submission technique.

Middleweight: Rousimar Palhares

In a close decision between Rousimar Palhares and Demian Maia, Palhares edges out Maia in terms of pure brutality and intimidation.

Rousimar Palhares may be the pound-for-pound most vicious submission artist in the world. His legendary leg locks instill fear in every opponents mind who wishes to walk out of the octagon with both legs still functioning.

Holding a pro record of 14-3, Palhares claims 10 submission victories to his name. His brute strength, outstanding technique and touch of insanity have claimed a number of dazzling finishes—especially in the Octagon.

In one fight so far this year, Palhares has claimed a heel-hook victory over Mike Massenzio at UFC 142 in Brazil.

Submission of Choice: This one is obvious. Six of his 10 career submissions have come via heel hook. Palhares doesn't look to win the fight: He looks to take your leg as a trophy too.

Light Heavyweight: Jon Jones

Jon Jones is still young in his career, but he has proven his all around capabilities.

Though choosing to dazzle spectators with his unorthodox striking, Jones also has some slick submissions as well.

With his 15-1 overall record, only five of his victories have been by submission. However, he is the first man to ever submit the highly touted Lyoto Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. That is insanely impressive.

Add to the fact that he not only submitted Machida in his latest title defense, he sent Machida to sleep in a sick, modified guillotine choke that showed off Jones' submission savvy.

Submission of Choice: The guillotine choke accounts for four of his five submissions. He adds his own modifications to the choke, which make it successful and effective.

Heavyweight: Frank Mir

I can already hear the Pride boys whining to see Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira or Fabricio Werdum on this list. While I agree they are top notch, I do not believe they are the most dangerous.

Frank Mir has proven to be the most feared and devastating submission artist in the heavyweight division. This is another man that doesn't look to win, but to break limbs and take them home.

Frank Mir is 16-5 in his professional career, with nine wins coming by tap out. His latest victim was Nogueira, whose arm he snapped with a devastating kimura.

Nogueira is not his only victim in terms of injury related submissions. Mir also broke Tim Sylvia' arm with an armbar, as well as sent Pete Williams into retirement with an inside shoulder lock.

Mir is always deadly on the ground, as he looks to finish fights in devastating fashion.

Submission of Choice: Mir uses a variety of submission holds, as only the kimura and armbar have been used more than once. But, his record shows that he is a joint lock specialist, as he only holds two victories by way of choke.