By Shawn Smith


​​We're not exactly sure why Rico Franco's nickname is 'Bon Bon', but it might be because of how sweet his game is.

At Caged Steel Fighting Championship (CSFC) 17 on March 18, Franco pulled off one of the most difficult submissions possible when he locked in a Twister, made famous by Eddie Bravo, on Steve Webster.

Franco showed a lot of skill in getting the submission, moving from mount to back mount with one leg hooked. As Webster tried to turn into the submission, Franco quickly went for a Twister before trying for the even more rare Banana Split submission. As that seemed unavailable, Franco used his striking to force Webster into position for the Twister, and the eventual tap.



Franco is a student of Danny Mitchell, who unfathomably has two Twister submissions on his resume: one over Victor Peixoto in Caged Fighters and another over C.J. Meeks in Bellator.

Franco improved his record to 1-1 with the submission and could be a lightweight to watch in coming years if he can sharpen his unorthodox style.

Through California jiu-jitsu practitioner Eddie Bravo, who made his name by defeating legendary grappler Royler Gracie, the Twister has rose to prominence in both the grappling and mixed martial arts worlds, becoming a rare but effective submission.