UFC 158 continues the promotions Submission Drought
Last night the UFC scored big with UFC 158. Not only did one of the promotions biggest draw once again successfully defend his title but several worthy welterweight candidates also emerged. The entertaining event saw many things except one, a submission!
The 12 bouts on the UFC 158 fight card produced five knockouts and seven decisions with zero submissions. This absence of a fighter tapping out could just be a product of the fighters on the card, the matchups or just the lucky of the draw but the promotion now finds themselves in a bit of a submission drought.
Earlier this month the UFC on FUEL TV 8 event in Saitama, Japan was also without a “Submission of the night” bonus. That 11 bout fight card saw just three knockouts and eight decisions. The last submission the UFC produced was in the UFC 157 main event when Ronda Rousey submitted Liz Carmouche with a first round armbar. UFC 157 produced four submissions on the card, which thus far is tied with the UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Bisping fight card as having the highest number of submission on a UFC card in 2013.
To put things in perspective, in 2012 the UFC held 31 total events and only twice did they not have a submission on the card. There were 71 overall submissions across the 31 events for a per event average of 2.29. Through the first four events of this year the UFC had been averaging 2.75 submissions a fight card, with 11 in total. They have now gone two complete events and 23 consecutive fights without a submission equaling the mark set in 2012 in just six events.
Though it might be currently flying under the radar, the UFC finds themselves in a submission drought and in much need of a tapout. Their next opportunity to “snap out” of the drought comes on April 6th in Stockholm, Sweden with the UFC on FUEL TV 9: Gustafsson vs. Mousasi.
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