5 times fighters tried to weather a submission but paid the price
Finishes and submissions in MMA hold a special place in the hearts of fans and pundits. While knockouts tend to lean towards the vicious and gnarly nature of the sport, submissions bring its capacity for grace to the fore. The step-by-step application of the perfect submission hold is something that truly brings forth a certain sense of gratification to viewers.
However, not all submissions conform to this preconceived notion that fans hold. Things can go sideways at the drop of a hat when it comes to rough submissions. Fighters who refuse to let go of submissions are, however, only one side of the coin. Fighters who refuse to tap out in the hopes of changing the tide in their favor in the face of abject adversity embody the other side of the coin.
An old adage in MMA, 'tap or snap', preaches the importance of safety while competing in professional and amateur combat sports competitions that include submissions. Fighters are often advised to tap out and fight for the win on another day should they find themselves backed into a submission that they can't wriggle out of. However, some fighters refuse to give up that easily.
There is a lot of discourse surrounding the fighters' reluctance to tap out. Some consider it a form of disrespect, while some believe that it proves a fighter's valor inside the octagon. Regardless of the reason, the refusal to tap out of submission holds often leads to broken bones and torn ligaments. This is something that could easily derail a fighter's career.
In this article we take a look at five instances when fighters refused to tap out and suffered the consequences for it.
#5. Jacare Souza vs. Roger Gracie - Arm-lock submission
Jacare Souza has cemented himself as one of the foremost grapplers in the world. He proved his grappling pedigree against Roger Gracie in a jiu-jitsu world championship open-weight bout back in 2004.
The open-weight final in Rio de Janeiro saw Roger Gracie lock in a terrifying arm-lock in an attempt to submit the three-time jiu-jitsu world champion. However, the UFC legend refused to tap out and suffered a broken arm.
Regardless, the two-time open-weight gold medalist continued to fight for yet another minute and managed to walk away with the win. Souza was aware that he would win on the basis of points if he could weather the submission. That's exactly what happened.