UFC Submission Used Just 16 Times Is So Brutal People Want It Banned
Fans have called for one submission tactic to be banned due to the injury risk
James Taylor
A UFC submission tactic that has only ever been used 16 times has faced calls for it to be banned, with fans fearing it could cause serious injuries to fighters.
Injuries are an inevitable part of combat sports such as mixed martial arts, with some studies suggesting that fighters sustain injuries in nearly a quarter of their bouts.
The most common injuries come from punches and kicks to the head, with former UFC champion Ronda Rousey once admitting she hid concussions during her time as bantamweight champion.
During a fight, a competitor can force their opponent to surrender by making them submit.
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When a fighter submits, they either tap the mat or their opponent, which signals they want to give up, and brings the fight to a close.
And one of the most brutal submission finishes in the sport is known as the kneebar.
In this move, one fighter traps their opponent's leg, restricting the movement of their knee.
They then apply pressure to the leg, forcing the knee to straighten beyond its normal range of motion.
That action can cause extreme pain and carries a serious risk of ligament damage or even a full knee injury.
To avoid injury, the trapped fighter will usually tap out, ending the fight immediately.
Although the technique is highly effective, it has only been used 16 times in UFC history.
At UFC 228 in 2018, it became the only event in the promotion's history to feature two kneebar victories.
One of the most infamous kneebar submissions came from Ariane Lipski da Silva on the UFC's Fight Island in 2020, according to Bloody Elbow.
Against fellow Brazilian, Luana Carolina, Lipski da Silva pulled off a kneebar that left Carolina on the floor screaming before she was able to tap out.
MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz reported that Carolina heard "three pops" in her leg during the move, which left her with ligament damage to her left knee.
Her team decided against surgery, but she did not return to the octagon for another ten months.
As footage of the injury went viral, many fans took to social media to question whether the move should be legal.
One fan wrote: “That move should be illegal.”
Another added: “They should eliminate this type of brutality.”
Others went even further, claiming the sport was simply too violent and called for more drastic reform.
"Ban this brutal sport," one individual wrote.