2. Anderson Silva vs. Ryo Chonan (Pride Shockwave 2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYN6U_85YCI Before he was known to mainstream MMA fans as the top fighter on the planet, Anderson Silva was best remembered for being on the losing end of one of the most impressive finishes ever seen. MMA fans remember Pride Fighting Championships fondly, and moments like this are a part of the reason why. Silva squared off against Ryo Chonan, an above average middleweight with little to no striking skills. The two engaged in a mostly forgettable affair for two and a half rounds, but deep into the fight Chonan executed the move that was voted Submission of the Decade for the 2000s. Ryo he pulled out an amazing, picture-perfect flying scissor-lock
takedown that he instantly converted into a heel-hook, forcing Silva to immediately tap out in pain. It was the type of thing that you could probably try fifty times and only land once or twice, but it was one for the ages. Unfortunately for the Japanese fighter, Silva did a great job of erasing that memory by destroying one challenger after another once he came to the UFC while Chonan faded into obscurity. This is the type of technically proficient maneuver that go well with a wrestler like Sami Zayn or even Rusev and it would be cool to see someone in WWE incorporate it into their arsenal. The key to making it memorable is to force the tap out right away rather than the suspension of disbelief required when WWE has guys sit in submission holds for minutes at a time.