There are few things more gorgeous in the world of mixed martial arts than a beautiful submission, and the dramatic situation which saw Chan Sung Jung submitting Dustin Poirier made things all the better.
Four straight wins throughout 2011 and early 2012, Poirier dominated the UFC’s new featherweight division. Only 22 at the time, he was pegged as the next big thing and possibly the only real contender to the seemingly unbreakable thrown of Jose Aldo.
The final stop on the road to a title shot was Jung. “The Korean Zombie” was on a small streak of his own throughout 2011, submitting Leonard Garcia with MMA’s first twister before knocking out Canadian striker Mark Hominick in only 7 seconds.
Poirier was the betting favourite heading into the bout due to his striking skills and ability to control the cage, but few accounted for the sheer will of Jung.
The bout went back and forth for the first two rounds, with each gaining advantages throughout. As the third round approached, the inexperience of Poirier began to show. Although tough, he began to wilt under the pressure of Jung, before finally succumbing to what MMASucka.com has awarded the submission of the year.
