Jocko Willink and Dean Lister are two veteran black belts who are both renowned for their more brutal approach to BJJ and now they’ve gotten together to rank the 5 most painful submissions in the sport. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the pair of men share a similar grappling style seeing as Willink was actually promoted to black belt by Lister himself and the pair have been training partners for several years now. Willink is most often seen recording his own podcast with fellow BJJ black belt Echo Charles where the pair discuss several issues around the sport and outside of it, or as a frequent guest on the Joe Rogan Experience.
Lister is probably best known for his pair of ADCC world championship gold medals and being one of the earliest figures in driving the leglock revolution that has happened over the last two decades of Jiu-Jitsu. Despite his coaches love of and proficiency in leglocks, Willink has previously come out to say that white belts in Jiu-Jitsu shouldn’t be taught heelhooks. Surprisingly, only one leglock actually makes it’s way on to the pair’s list of the most painful submissions in BJJ and it’s not a heelhook either.
Interestingly, one technique that was left off the list entirely is the side control variation that Josh Barnett used to submit Lister himself back at Metamoris 4, which Barnett claims is the most painful no gi side control position. The list of the 5 most painful submissions in BJJ that Jocko Willink and Dean Lister put together was uploaded to the official YouTube account for Origin USA, a popular manufacturer of Jiu-Jitsu clothing and equipment:
