Mesquita breaks Rousey's submission record with rear-naked choke finish at UFC 334

Bia Mesquita surpassed Ronda Rousey as the all-time leader in women’s bantamweight UFC submissions on Saturday, finishing Macy Chiasson with a rear-naked choke at 3:23 of the first round at UFC 334. The victory extended Mesquita’s unbeaten professional record to 9-0 and made her four-for-four inside the octagon.

Chiasson, a veteran contender with ten professional wins, had no answer for Mesquita’s grappling. After an opening exchange on the feet, Mesquita secured a body lock, worked her way to Chiasson’s back, and methodically tightened the rear-naked choke until the tap came. It was a performance that mirrored her previous three UFC appearances — dominant, efficient, and finished on the ground.

The win moved Mesquita past a tie with Rousey and into sole possession of the record for most submissions in the women’s 135-pound division. Chiasson, meanwhile, has now lost four consecutive bouts and falls to 10-7.

Speaking with Joe Rogan in her post-fight interview, Mesquita made no secret of her ambitions, saying she planned to sit cageside later in the evening to watch bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison defend against Amanda Nunes. The implication was clear: she wants the winner next.

With the division’s top two fighters set to collide on the same card, Mesquita’s timing could hardly have been better. Her jiu-jitsu credentials — she is a multiple-time world champion in the discipline — have translated seamlessly to MMA, and no opponent has yet found a way to keep the contest standing long enough to test her elsewhere. A title shot in the thinly populated 135-pound division looks increasingly difficult to deny.