Submissions in UFC 4 have changed a lot, as the dev team installed a new system that some players may like. Others, on the other hand, may hate it. Let's go over what the new system is and how you can submit opponents to UFC 4.
But before we get into the new system, let's take a quick look at the old submission system. In UFC 3, players had to use the left and right sticks to move the walls in the submission mini-game. If you were on the defensive side of the submission, your goal was to move the wall completely with the right stick to the end, in order to stop the opponent's submission. But if you were trying to subdue your opponent, your goal was to use the right stick to prevent your opponent from moving the wall all the way. If you are successful, then you can press the left joystick at the appropriate time to proceed to the next stage of the submission.
Screenshot of UFC 3's submission system (Image via EA Sports)In UFC 4, the submission system has changed completely and this new system is quite similar to what the WWE 2K franchise has used in the past. In order to submit your opponent with bids, you will need to use the LT / L2 and RT / R2 triggers to complete a joint bid, and the left analog stick for choke submissions.
When you apply a joint submission in UFC 4, you will notice a light bar in the middle of the screen and two smaller bars in that light bar, a blue bar and a red bar. To complete a submission, you will need to cover the opponent's bar (blue bar) with your bar (red bar) until the “Submit” counter under the bars goes all the way. The opponent's goal is to continually move their bar away from your counter in order to avoid submission. If the “Escape” counter goes to the end, it means your opponent has successfully evaded submission.
Joint submissions to UFC 4. (Screenshot of UFC 4)Throttle submissions work the same, but with these moves you have to use the left analog stick. At the start of the submission, you will see a large, clear circle with two bars, a blue bar, and a red bar. As with joint submissions, the goal when attempting to run a submission is to cover the blue bar as much as you can in order to fill the “Submit” counter. Failure to do so on time means your opponent has broken the bid.
In order to complete a choke submission, you need to cover your opponent's bar to come out on top. (Image via EA Sports)While this system sounds simple enough, there are its quirks. On the one hand, the game will punish players who are happy with the trigger and try to move the bar too quickly. If you move the bar too quickly, the red bar will shrink, making it difficult to fully cover the opponent's blue bar. Second, the UFC 4 team reduced the submission success rate after the game's closed beta, as many submissions felt the submissions were overkill. For this reason, submissions are easier to break. As a result, players need to be extremely precise in moving the bars, as being just a little excited when it comes to covering the blue bar can be the difference between performing a submission or allowing your opponent to break loose.
