Michael And Mitch's 2018 Highlights – The Submissions

One thing that is guaranteed to get ONE Championship commentators Michael Schiavello and Mitch Chilson fired up when they are cageside is calling a sensational submission.

Following on from “The Voice” and “The Dragon’s” picks for the top knockouts of the last 12 months, they have selected the grappling finishes that excited them more than any other in The Home Of Martial Arts.

There was plenty to choose from, including Joshua “The Passion” Pacio’s 2018 Submission Of The Year “Passion lock” on Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit, and the two expert analysts have selected scintillating techniques that had them on their feet in the front row.

Michael: Jihin’s Tightening Triangle

Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan made sure no one would forget her when she burst onto the global stage for martial arts at ONE: VISIONS OF VICTORY.

She showed the tenacity and technique to chain her grappling offense together and eventually make Puja Tomar tap to a triangle choke in the second round.

It was the first of a trio of wins that have established the 20-year-old as one of the most exciting talents in ONE.

“A better debut you won’t find. I think Malaysia has unearthed a new star,” says Schiavello.

Mitch: Shinya Aoki‘s Airborne Submission Setup

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Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki packed so much skill into his submission of Rasul Yakhyaev at ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS, a student of grappling like Chilson was drawn to it.

From the flying omoplata, to the mounted triangle, and the finishing squeeze, it was near-perfection.

“That is the return of classic, old-school Shinya Aoki – the kind of Aoki that you’re scared to go to the ground with,” says “The Dragon.”

“You don’t want anything to do with the ground game of Aoki, because you never know what he’s going to do.”

Michael: Marat Gafurov Finds His Mojo

This arm-triangle choke from Marat “Cobra” Gafurov on Emilio “The Honey Badger” Urrutia at ONE: HEROES OF HONOR was impressive for the excellence of its execution, but also because of what it meant to the former ONE Featherweight World Champion.

By getting back in the win column after some difficult experiences, he proved he was still a force to be reckoned with against some of the top names in the game.

“To me, that’s an emotional, high-class finish from Gafurov that signals 2019 is going to be a big year for the former World Champion,” explains “The Voice.”

Mitch: Ariel Sexton‘s Two-In-One Tapout

Ariel “Tarzan” Sexton is known for his creative, innovative jiu-jitsu, and this tapout of Kota Shimoishi at ONE: PURSUIT OF POWER showed why.

Locking up an inverted triangle choke was impressive – and might have been enough to end the match by itself – but the Costa Rican continued to attack and locked up an Americana to seal the deal.

“What made this submission so unique was that he got the submission by attempting another submission… Absolutely beautiful,” says Chilson.

Michael And Mitch: The Passion Lock

Above even the fluid and aesthetically-pleasing efforts above, Schiavello and Chilson picked this finish at ONE: REIGN OF KINGS as the best of the year for its innovation.

Pacio’s “Passion lock” was that rare thing in mixed martial arts – a unique effort, and that is what made it so special in the eyes of both ONE commentators.

“It’s not often in this sport you see something different, something new. But in ONE Championship in 2018, there was a submission nobody had ever seen before,” says Schiavello.

“For me, because of its creativeness, its inventiveness, its uniqueness… it deserves to be Submission Of The Year for 2018.”