The rear-naked choke, also known as the “mata leao” in Portuguese, has a well earned reputation in mixed martial arts. In the UFC, the rear-naked choke has been a strong staple since Royce Gracie (as well as Jason DeLucia) used the technique to great success in the promotion’s legendary first show back on Nov. 12, 1993. November 12, 1993 UFC 1 Royce Gracie submits Gerard Gordeau Via Rear-Naked Choke in 1:44 Wins the UFC 1 Tournament pic.twitter.com/eBDtQ3BCsw — Ocelot MMA (@Ocelot_MMA) March 27, 2023 Since then, the rear-naked choke’s dominance in the submission department has only increased in the octagon every decade