Kayfabe version in my own head: In an Ironman match, best to submit early so as not to have too much damage done to whatever part is being worked on, hence quicker recovery time for the guy giving up the fall. Plus it gets the bad guy's submission hold over a bit, since it actually works on a top opponent for once.
I always looked at a submission in a multiple fall match like that. They are rare rare events to happen to top end babyfaces in one fall matches. Martel submitting the AWA title to Hansen always come to my mind, and in the sense that the match itself is nothing special, it did the job of making it memorable outside of the title change portion.
I've always been curious to the finish of Martel vs Hansen for the AWA title. Any insight why they booked Martel to submit to Hansen, khawk? Strange finish for a babyface. Was Martel done completely with Verne and the AWA after that night?
I don't know that it was anything more complicated than it made sense with Hansen injuring Martel's back a week and a bit earlier. Martel wasn't around long in the AWA-proper after that with the back injury being a way to move him along so there is that as well (he did wrestle Hansen on 1/16/86 in Winnipeg on the Flair-Bock card, last AWA card in Winnipeg before Vince took the area).
Another thing about it...It made Hansen's title win very noticeable for being different (as noted a pure submission in a North American ring for a world title was rare) and Hansen did cheat a bit with his head on the turnbuckle while he had Martel in the crab ostensibly preventing rick from escaping and ultimately having to give it up.
Also of note, they ran a concurrent injury angle in Montreal with Jim Garvin doing the deed in a tag match. Hansen did come into Montreal and had at least one match with Rick in 1986 as well, Martel winning a non-title bout via pinfall. I don't think they had the rematch as promoted though, and if they did I have not seen a result.