What is a submission attempt in MMA?
A submission attempt is a choke or joint lock that, in the stat-keeper's judgment, puts the opponent in real danger of having to tap out.
How it works
Not every grab at an arm or the neck counts. Stat-keepers log an attempt when the hold is close to locked in, such as a rear-naked choke under the chin, a guillotine with the arm wrapped or an armbar with the arm extended, and the opponent has to work to escape. If the opponent taps or the referee stops the fight, the attempt has become a submission win.
The rate version is submission attempts per 15 minutes: attempts × 15 ÷ minutes fought.
Worked example
A fighter goes for 8 submissions in 120 minutes of fighting and finishes 2 of them. That is 8 × 15 ÷ 120 = 1.0 submission attempts per 15 minutes, and 2 wins by submission.
Good to know
This is one of the most subjective numbers in MMA statistics: what one stat-keeper logs as an attempt, another reads as a transition. Compare fighters only with counts from the same source.
Where to see it on UFCalendar
- All-time leaderboard: Submission attempts →
- All-time leaderboard: Sub attempts per 15 min →
- All-time leaderboard: Submissions →
- Record Book →
Get it from the API
The same data is served as JSON by the MMA Fight Data API. The endpoints that carry it:
GET /v1/fights/{id}/statsPer-fight totals for both corners: strikes by target and position, takedowns, control time.
GET /v1/fights/{id}/roundsOne bout with its result, per-fight totals for both corners, and round-by-round statistics.
GET /v1/fighters/{idOrSlug}/statsCareer statistics per scope: strike and takedown rates, accuracy, defense, submission average.
UFC fight stats in the Fight API →