The Most Prolific Submission Artists in Modern Grappling
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The Jiu-Jitsu Mindset · Data Study
The Most Prolific Submission Artists in Modern Grappling
Keenan Cornelius leads our dataset with 108 recorded submission wins across 21 different techniques, ahead of Fellipe Andrew (100) and Joao Miyao (99). Fellipe Andrew is the most versatile finisher on the roster, with 25 distinct submissions to his name. Figures cover each athlete's recorded career, gi and no-gi combined, out of 3,209 total finishes by 97 grapplers.
Career submission totals reward two very different things: a long competitive record, and a game built to finish rather than to win on points. The names at the top of this list have both.
Top 10 by recorded submission wins
Career totals from FloGrappling athlete profiles, with each competitor's most-recorded finish.
| # | Athlete | Submission wins | Signature finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keenan Cornelius | 108 | Armbar |
| 2 | Fellipe Andrew | 100 | Katagatame (arm triangle) |
| 3 | Joao Miyao | 99 | Choke from the back |
| 4 | Felipe Pena | 78 | Choke from the back |
| 5 | Gordon Ryan | 73 | Rear naked choke |
| 6 | Adam Wardzinski | 70 | Choke from the back |
| 7 | Dante Leon | 70 | Rear naked choke |
| 8 | Gianni Grippo | 70 | Choke from the back |
| 9 | Rafael Lovato Jr. | 68 | Armbar |
| 10 | Andre Galvao | 66 | Choke from the back |
Seven of the ten finish from the back
Five of the top ten — Miyao, Pena, Wardzinski, Grippo and Galvao — list the choke from the back as their most-recorded finish, and Ryan and Leon favour the rear naked choke. Only Cornelius, Lovato and Andrew build their finishing games elsewhere. That is the clearest single illustration of why back attacks account for 30% of all finishes: at the top of the sport, the leaderboard and the position chart are the same chart.
Volume is not the same as versatility
Submission wins against the number of distinct techniques used.
| Athlete | Sub wins | Distinct techniques | Signature finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keenan Cornelius | 108 | 21 | Armbar |
| Fellipe Andrew | 100 | 25 | Katagatame |
| Joao Miyao | 99 | 17 | Choke from the back |
| Gordon Ryan | 73 | 18 | Rear naked choke |
| Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida | 66 | 24 | Armbar |
| Oliver Taza | 66 | 12 | Inside heel hook |
| Mikey Musumeci | 31 | 15 | Straight ankle lock |
| Tye Ruotolo | 13 | 8 | Darce choke |
Two philosophies sit side by side here. Fellipe Andrew and Buchecha finish from everywhere — 25 and 24 techniques respectively. Oliver Taza has almost the same total as Buchecha using half as many attacks, because the modern leg-lock game is a narrow system applied relentlessly. Neither is wrong; they are different bets about where depth pays.
How to read these numbers
Three caveats worth stating plainly. These are career totals, so longevity inflates them — a competitor with fifteen years of recorded matches will out-total a phenomenal finisher five years into their career. They are also raw counts, not rates: we do not have total match numbers, so this measures output, not efficiency. And they combine gi and no-gi, which flatters athletes who compete in both. For a competition-specific view, see the greatest submission hunters in ADCC history.
Frequently asked questions
Who has the most submission wins in jiu-jitsu?
In our dataset of 97 elite grapplers, Keenan Cornelius leads with 108 recorded submission wins across 21 techniques, followed by Fellipe Andrew (100) and Joao Miyao (99).
Which grappler is the most versatile finisher?
Fellipe Andrew, with 25 distinct submissions recorded — the widest arsenal on the roster. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida is close behind at 24.
What is Gordon Ryan's most-used submission?
The rear naked choke, with 24 recorded finishes out of 73 total submission wins across 18 techniques.
Does this list include every grappler?
No. It covers the 97 athletes on the FloGrappling roster who had a recorded submission-methods table in July 2026. It is a strong sample of elite modern competitors, not a complete history of the sport.
Sources & method
Data captured from athlete Submission W/L Methods tables on FloGrappling in July 2026. All 102 rostered athletes were checked; 97 had a methods table and 5 did not and were excluded. Counts reflect recorded submission wins only. Full write-up: Tap Stats.
More from this series: The most common submission in jiu-jitsu · Back attacks · How many submissions are there? · Catch The Jiu Jitsu Mindset on YouTube and Spotify.