Walter’s legendary submissions: A look back at his most technical finishes.

MMA and BJJ have produced many great grapplers in its history and they are still competing today. One of them is Walter, who is well known for his technical skills and submission skills. Walter is one of the most skilled fighters in the history of mixed martial arts and submission grappling with a phenomenal record of taking out opponents on the ground.

While many fighters get the spotlight from their knockouts or their ground and pound, Walter has always been the opposite, the thinking man’s fighter, the planner, the strategist. His ability to create space, especially in the tiniest of gaps and then submitting his opponents with the finesse of a surgeon has earned him his place in the MMA Hall of Fame. Walter has been known to have a very unique way of using technique, leverage, and timing to get submissions that are phenomenal to watch and submissions that make the opponent tap out.

In this article, we look at the most technical finishes of Walter in detail. It also demonstrates his skills in grappling and also the development of submission moves in MMA and BJJ. Whether it is an arm bar or choke, a leg lock or a unique position, Walter’s submission wins are a great example of the art of grappling.

1. The Triangle Choke Against Anderson Silva aka “The Spider”

One of the most famous fights of Walter was against Anderson Silva, a man with great striking skills and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Silva was always considered as a hard nut to crack when it came to submission, mainly because of his long limbs and his ability to defend himself. But Walter’s analytical mind was on display in this match when it came to grappling.

It started with Silva keeping Walter at the distance with the use of his jab and low kicks. Although Silva was the much more effective striker of the two men, Walter continued to look for a way to take the fight to the mat. At the middle of the second round, Walter was able to perform a single leg takedown on Silva and brought him to the ground into his guard. At this point, the real creativity of Walter’s grappling was revealed.

When Silva moved to strike and knock Walter out, Walter changed the position by moving his hips and securing his legs around Silva’s neck and applying a very tight triangle choke. Silva knew that he was in a spot of trouble and tried to defend himself by posturing up and trying to control Walter but the experienced grappler simply made the hold tighter and also changed the angle so that the carotid arteries of Silva were cut off. However, Silva tried his best and could not get out of the submission and within seconds he had no choice but to tap.

This triangle choke was a classic example of Walter’s ability to finish off an opponent when they made a mistake. He was perfect in his movements and applied perfect biomechanics to control the head and arm and then submit one of the greatest triangle choke in the history of mixed martial arts.

2. The Guillotine Choke: A Case Study of Carlos “The Pitbull” Rodriguez.

Another beauty from Walter’s submission library was seen in his clash with Carlos “The Pitbull” Rodriguez, a grappler with most of his game built around his wrestling. Rodriguez’s game plan was clear from the outset: use his wrestling to dominate Walter on the ground and not allow himself to be taken down by submissions. But it was Rodriguez’s own aggression which led to his downfall in the hands of Walter.

It was a typical stand up battle against the ground specialist as Rodriguez was always on the lookout for the takedown of Walter. In the second round, Rodriguez went for a double-leg takedown in order to take Walter down and control him on the ground. But Walter, who was always prepared, was ready.

Rodriguez then moved forward and attempted the takedown and Walter was able to sprawl and shut the shot down. Walter quickly grabbed Rodriguez into a front headlock, wrapping his arm around the neck of Rodriguez. Walter moved quickly and slipped into a guillotine choke and used the other hand to finish the choke. He then pulled guard and took Rodriguez with him and increased the pressure on the choke.

Rodriguez, who is a strong man and has good takedown defense against submission, attempted to shake off the choke but Walter had already repositioned his body in the right manner. His legs were around Rodriguez’s chest and his arms were tightly around him, there was no way out. Rodriguez, through touching the canvas, agreed that Walter was the better man with the technical guillotine.

This finish is considered as one of Walter’s best guillotine chokes not just on the aspect of effectiveness but also on how he was able to make Rodriguez fall into his trap. What made Walter a great fighter was his ability to move from one position to another without any gaps in between and this was evident in this fight.

3. The Armbar Against “Iron” Ivan Petrov

Another thing that I like about Walters’ submission game is the fact that he can flow through submissions and transition between them while in a fight. This was most evidently seen in his battle with the strong and very durable Ivan Petrov, the Iron. Petrov was a ground-and-pound fighter with a very aggressive style and his toughness made him a tough nut to crack for any grappler. However, Walter’s jiu-jitsu was a different class and he showed it that night.

The fight started with Petrov trying to take control of the fight and landing big punches while searching for the perfect chance to take the opponent down and ground him. Walter, however, remained calm and tried to find a way to avoid Petrov’s aggression. Walter did not have to wait for long before he got Petrov into his trap.

In the second round Petrov was able to bring Walter down to the ground and get into half guard position. As most of the fighters would have been satisfied with just keeping the opponent at bay in this position, Walter was already planning his next move. At this point, Petrov tried to stand and throw punches and Walter opened a small window by moving his hips. In a quick manner, Walter was able to control Petrov’s arm and apply an armbar from the bottom position.

Petrov, who is known for his iron chin, attempted to counter and control Walter in order to escape from the submission but the submission wizard was not to be denied. Walter opened his hips and put a lot of pressure on Petrov’s elbow. The armbar was set in a way that Petrov couldn’t escape from and the only option left for him was to tap in order to avoid severe damage.

Walter’s performance against Petrov showed that he is capable of applying submissions even in a pressurized situation such as the armbar. He was able to remain calm and composed when taking the hits and thus was able to capitalize on the opportunity to apply the submission with perfection.

4. The Heel Hook Against Ricardo ‘The Panther’ Santos

 Walter is not limited to the common BJJ upper body submission such as chokes and armbars as he also displays his skill in leg locks. His leg lock game is also very effective and maybe no fight is a better example of this than his submission win over Ricardo “The Panther” Santos. Santos was known for his BJJ and Santos was a black belt in BJJ but Walter displayed his lower body control in this fight.

 The fight began as most predicted with both fighters exchanging in a technical grappling battle. Santos was the more active fighter in the clinch, looking to get on top of Walter and work his wrestling but Walter’s guard and movement made it hard for Santos to take the back of Walter.

 The finish came in the third round and it was a result of Santos’ poor positioning; he left his leg exposed during a tangle. Walter seized the opportunity and moved into a leg entanglement without any pause. Walter moved fast and was able to lock in a heel hook on Santos and before Santos could even think about escaping.

 The pressure on Santos’ ankle and knee was very high and the only thing he could do was to tap out almost as soon as the match began to prevent further damage. Walter was lightning quick and accurate when he applied the heel hook and fans and experts were amazed.

 This finish was even more impressive because it was done on another high ranking black belt. Walter’s heel hook proved that he can submit even the best of the best in the grappling world and still finish the fight.

 5. The Rear-Naked Choke Against “Savage” Sam Miller: A Review

 The rear-naked choke is one of the most basic submission holds in grappling but with Walter, it is a work of art. One of the most clinical displays of how to use this submission is his rear-naked choke win over Sam Miller known as “Savage”.

 Miller a man with good wrestling skills and a knockout puncher posed a great challenge to Walter in their encounter. The bout started with Miller trying to impose his wrestling on Walter and take him down against the cage wall and try to wear him out. But Walter’s grappling IQ once again stood out to be the key factor that helped him clinch the victory.

 In the second round, there was a brief exchange on the feet and then Walter was able to take Millers back in a scramble. Knowing this, it was only a matter of time before Walter would go for the finish after securing the back. With hooks set, Walter then jabbed Miller until he weakened him up then placed his arm under Miller’s chin.

 The way Walter executed the rear-naked choke was a clear indication of his years on the mat in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He didn’t hurry and submit instead he slowly and steadily increased the pressure and get the right position. Miller had no way of defending himself or getting away and so he was left with no choice but to tap as Walter applied the pressure.

 This win made Walter the submission expert who could finish the fight in any position and from any angle. His rear-naked choke was not just the force with which he would take his opponent to the ground and then submit him but the art of controlling the opponent and the precise moment when to apply the choke.

 6. Kimura Vs Jack “The Crusher” Thompson

 Walter’s submission game is not only the flashy techniques or the complex ones, he also has a great understanding of the simple ones. His kimura against Jack “The Crusher” Thompson is a great example of the fact that Walter can make a simple submission move lethal.

 Thompson, a wrestler with a nasty streak and a spectacularly tough chin, was a fighter who would win fights through sheer determination. But that was not enough to deter Walter’s technical ability.

 Walter was able to secure side control in the third round of a very close and exciting match through a nice sweep. From here Walter started to control the arm of Thompson and was able to get into the position of the kimura. However, Walter managed to keep the control over Thompson and his attempts to defend and escape were in vain.

 Walter being the stronger of the two and having better technique, he slowly turned the kimura on Thompson’s shoulder. The torque was too much for Thompson to handle and he had to submit and the pain was evident on his face.

 This kimura finish showed that Walter was not only capable of applying submissions with a great deal of accuracy but also with a great deal of force. Despite the fact that the opponent was quite strong, for example, Thompson, Walter still had a technical advantage that helped him to penetrate and win.

 Conclusion: The Impact of Walter’s Submission Mastery

Walter’s career as a submission artist is something that we are going to see for many years to come. His understanding of when and how to apply technique and strategy into his grappling has made him one of the most known and respected and feared in the world of MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Walter has been able to display the beauty of grappling through his impeccable triangle chokes, guillotines, leg locks and rear-naked chokes.

 This is where Walter stands out from the rest of the submission artists; it is not just that he finishes fights but how he does it. It is not a case of him just randomly submitting what he feels like; it is the culmination of hard work, dedication, discipline, and countless hours of practice.

 Looking at Walter’s submissions, one can only conclude that his impact on the sport will be long-lasting. His technical finishes are a clear indication of the fact that grappling is a beautiful sport and that there are countless ways to submit an opponent. The guiding principles of Walter’s management style can be described as innovation, creativity, and, first and foremost, technical competence.