MMA Junkie names August Submission of the Month, spotlighting a surprise Scottish Twister

MMA Junkie has released its Submission of the Month awards for August 2026, turning its spotlight to the kinds of finishes that change how fights are remembered. The publication’s August list includes five nominees, presented in chronological order, and culminates with a single winner selected for the most impressive submission of the month.

What stood out in the August crop, according to the announcement, was variety in both position and timing. The nominees reportedly feature standing chokes, which are often riskier than their ground-based counterparts because they require control while fighters remain mobile and upright. Alongside those were other signature moments, capped by what MMA Junkie describes as a surprise Scottish Twister.

The Scottish Twister is a rotational leg attack most associated with creating torque and leverage quickly, often from unexpected entries. MMA Junkie’s decision to name it as the August winner frames the finish as more than just a tap, emphasizing creativity and the ability to turn scramble moments into submissions before opponents can reset.

By assembling the nominees in order rather than as a simple list of highlight reels, MMA Junkie is also implicitly judging how the months unfolded, not just which technique is flashiest in isolation. That format can matter for fans and fighters, because it puts a finish in context relative to the rest of the action from August, where multiple events and stylistic matchups produced a range of submission outcomes.

For fighters, the Submission of the Month award functions as a public proof point of specific skills, especially when the winning technique is less common. A standing choke sequence highlights grappling awareness under movement, while a Scottish Twister rewards timing, off-balance entries, and the ability to keep tension long enough to force a decisive angle.

The next thing to watch in the UFC and across MMA is how often these spotlighted skill sets show up in future matchups. Standing attacks are already a recurring theme in modern grappling, but an award-winning example from a particular month can influence training priorities and fan expectations. Similarly, rare finishes like the Scottish Twister tend to keep showing up when fighters believe they can force the right positions during scrambles.