The nastiest armlock in the history of mixed martial arts was executed at a Shooto event on 29 January 2005 in Tokyo, Japan. and were the fighters. Shinya Aoki executed a Waki Gatame armlock against Keith Wisniewski’s overhook so explosively that The Polish Connection’s elbow disconnected at 2:22 of Round 1.

Please note, this was a professional fight. Aoki was under no more obligation to apply the submission slowly and carefully than is a striker is to apply a knockout slowly and carefully.

Now fighting out of Singapore’s Evolve MMA, and the ONE Championship lightweight champion, the Tobikan Judan breaks down how he did it.

Aoki’s use of the Waki Gatame submission has become its signature use in the entire sport. Aoki, one of the great submission experts in the sport’s history joins a long list of fighters who executed submissions that became fused with their reputation.

These include.
Anaconda Choke – Babalu vs. David Heath – 8/25/2007
Armbar/Triangle Combo – Elvis Sinosic vs. Jeremy Horn 2/23/2001
Body Triangle – Ivan Salevery vs. Tony Fryklund – 10/22/2004
Bulldog Choke – Carlos Newton vs. Pat Miletich 5/4/2001
Chin to the Eye – Mark Kerr vs. Dan Bobish – 7/27/1997
Choke Choke – Tom Eriksen vs. Matt Skelton – 11/03/2001
Cross Armbar – Georges St Pierre v.s Matt Hughes – 12/29/2007
Crucifix – Jerry Bohlander vs. Nick Sanzo – 2/7/1997
D’Arce Choke – Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick – 2/06/2010
Flying Armbar – Rumina Sato vs. Charles Diaz 1/15/2099
Flying Scissor Heel Hook – Ryo Chonan vs. Anderson Silva – 12/31/2004
Front Headlock: Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida – 8/7/2010
Gogoplata – Shinya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen – 12/31/2006
Heel Hook – Ken Shamrock vs. Andre Van Den Oetelaar 12/8/1993
Inverted Triangle Choke – Toby Imada vs. Jorge Masvidal – 5/1/2009
Kimura – Masahiko Kimura vs. Helio Gracie – 10/23/1951
Leg Scissor Choke – Sheila Bird vs. Kim Couture – 7/8/2011
North/South Choke – Jeff Monson vs. Brandon Lee Hinkle – 02/04/2006
Pace Choke – Nick Pace vs. Will Campuzano – 12/04/2010
Peruvian Necktie – CB Dollaway vs. Jesse Taylor – 7/19/2008
Schwing – Shinya Murofushi vs Masayoshi Kato – 12/18/11
Standing Arm Triangle – Marlon Sandro vs Matt Jaggers – 3/20/09
Toe Hold – Frank Mir vs Tank Abbott – 2/28/2003
Twister – Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia – 3/26/2011
Von Flue Choke – Jason Von Flue vs Alex Karalexis – 1/16/2006
Waki Gatame – Shinya Aoki vs. Keith Wisniewski – 1/29/2005