Submission is made to look easy as the grappling phenom sets up the famous joint lock in powerful style.

Just like when Masahiko Kimura became the eponymous forefather of the deadly kimura submission by defeating Helio Gracie in the 1950s, Phil Davis evolved the famous lock at UFC 123 by spectacularly pulling it off using just one arm against fellow light heavyweight Tim Boetsch. Davis was launched into the annals of MMA history after Joe Rogan ceremoniously dubbed the move after his comical nickname ‘Mr Wonderful’. If you haven’t seen it, the bizarre move from the pink spandex-wearing Davis is available to view online and is sure fire to top every MMA aficionados ‘to do’ list.

After shooting for the takedown halfway through the second round Davis was able to gain side control after Boetsch jumped for the guillotine and ended up on his back. Davis then took Boetsch’s hand and tried setting it up for an armbar.

“When I take the hand of my opponent, instead of just letting go and posturing up and punching, I now control that hand,” Davis exclusively explains. “I went for the straight armlock and he pulled his arm back in. He brought it back into his body and I just collapsed it and folded it underneath for the kimura.

I then switched his arm from holding it with my right hand to holding it with my left, and took my free right hand across his legs, allowing me to control his hips and angle him away from the cage. As soon as I did that I connected both my hands behind his back and that allowed me to really apply a good amount of force and get the submission.”

Such innovation is a rare thing. Yet Davis swears the move wasn’t a fluke but rather, a well-trained pre-planned execution.

“Whenever I train I only practice the kimura by using one hand. Lloyd Irvin taught me it and always ensures that we do it with one hand in practice, because if you can’t do it in practice, you’d never be able to pull it off in a real fight.”