There is nothing more exciting as a spectator than a highlight reel knockout, and the reaction that it gets is often enormous. All fighters look for it, for both the prestige and the potential of a $50,000 bonus.
With the power that many fighters across the divisions have, it is unsurprising that there are a wealth of options for me to choose from. Nevertheless, these are my top 10 knockouts in UFC history.
10. Thomas Almeida vs Brad Pickett - UFC 189 (flying knee)
Having established a 19-0 record, albeit mostly in lesser organisations, Thomas Almeida was matched against the veteran Brad Pickett in a fight expected to test the youngster. And it certainly did that, with the Londoner flooring the Brazilian in the opening round and forcing him to recover quickly. However, when the bell rang for the second round, it took just 30 seconds for Almeida to land a devastating flying knee to leave his opponent out cold.
9. Paige VanZant vs Bec Rawlings - UFC Fight Night: Maia vs Condit (switch kick)
If there is one thing you don't expect from female fighters, it is outlandish knockouts, with the majority of fights either going the distance or ending by submission. Step forward 22-year old Paige VanZant, who in her ninth professional fight battled Bec Rawlings, who had had a decidedly up and down ride coming off the strawweight season of The Ultimate Fighter.
After an uneventful first round, VanZant landed a picture perfect flying switch kick to the head of Rawlings just fifteen seconds into round two, before finishing her opponent on the ground.
8. Junior dos Santos vs Mark Hunt - UFC 160 (spinning hook kick)
Similarly to the above example, this was a knockout that surprised many. While heavyweights are accustomed to knocking one another into the middle of next week with their fists, there are not all that many that end fights with head kicks - and spinning ones at that!
Nevertheless, in the final minute of a bloody war, JDS used this technique to perfection to stop the notoriously tough Mark Hunt - only the second time in history that the Super Samoan had been stopped by strikes. This propelled Cigano back into the title picture, and a third bout with Cain Velasquez.
7. Rashad Evans vs Chuck Liddell - UFC 88 (punch)
Brutal. That's the best way to describe the knockout of UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell at the hands of Ultimate Fighter winner Rashad Evans. Whether you believe the Iceman should still have been competing at that point or not, it was still painful to watch Liddell crumple under the right hand of Evans, as well as seeing him cradled in the arms of Herb Dean.
Having come into the fight as a considerable underdog, the power and ferocity of the knockout even seemed to surprise Evans, with his celebration a combination of shock and awe at the spectacular finish.
6. Rashad Evans vs Sean Salmon - UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon (head kick)
It seems Rashad Evans doesn't do a normal finish to a fight. Suga finds his way onto this list for a second time with his crunching head kick knockout of decorated collegiate wrestler Sean Salmon in 2007. Having been frustrated throughout the first round, frequently taken down by Salmon, Evans found the perfect, and final, response, catching the 9-1 fighter with what can only be described as a volley to the dome.
Having remained unconscious for several minutes, this KO seemed to have significant consequences for Salmon, who was unable to reclaim his form up to that point. He retired in 2013 with a record of 18 wins and 21 losses.
5. Gabriel Gonzaga vs Mirko Cro Cop - UFC 70 (head kick)
As a specialist of delivering highlight reel head kick knockouts, Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic found himself on the receiving end of a right high kick from Gabriel Gonzaga at Manchester's 'MEN Arena'. With Napau not known for his kickboxing ability, this came as a real shock in what was considered a title eliminator match-up in 2007.
Adding to the brutality was the way that Cro Cop fell. As his eyes rolled back into his head on impact, his knee contorted below his falling body, detaching a ligament in the Croat's knee.
4. Lyoto Machida vs Randy Couture - UFC 129 (jump head kick)
When the movie 'The Karate Kid' came out in 1984, I can guarantee that every martial artist was practicing the perfectly executed crane kick landed by Daniel LaRusso to win his tournament. However, few were ever likely to pull it off in active competition, and once the UFC got started in 1993, it seemed impossible that the move would be successful in the Octagon.
However, no-one told Lyoto Machida. Under considerable pressure having lost his two previous fights, The Dragon applied the technique to perfection, landing on the chin of MMA legend Randy Couture in round two of their 2011 encounter to finish the fight.
3. Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping - UFC 100 (punch)
The punch that spawned a logo and a rivalry to last seven years. After enduring months of taunts from Michael Bisping while filming the US vs UK series of The Ultimate Fighter, Dan Henderson entered into UFC 100 with a rather large score to settle.
Roared on by a partisan US crowd, Hendo corked up the H-bomb to devastating effect in the second round, leaving Bisping unconscious before he even hit the floor, with the American following it up with a vicious, and perhaps unnecessary, second blow.
2. Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim - UFC 142 (spinning wheel kick)
If this list looked at technique alone, this KO wins hands down. The speed at which the Brazilian's heel hit Etim's chin is terrifying, and the way the British fighter toppled to the floor was almost cartoon-esque.
While a shout out has to go to the recent wheel kick landed by Lando Vannata against John Makdessi, Barboza's remains the standard, and the sheer brutality of the knockout left the Brazilian giving the credit for the move to the man upstairs.
1. Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort - UFC 126 (front kick)
For me, it's a real toss up between this and Barboza's, but the fact that this happened in a highly pressurised title fight, with more than a little animosity between the parties involved, means that this has to take the top spot. Like both the runner up and number four on this list, this was a technique that had never been used to knock someone out in this way, and the speed and ferocity at which it was delivered was simply stunning.
After a cagy first few minutes, Belfort squared up for one second, but that was one second too long. A front kick crashed into the challenger's chin before he could move, putting him on the floor and sending Silva to victory. The KO became synonymous with the UFC over the next few years, being used at the beginning video package of every single pay-per-view, and this only adds to its significance.
Are there any others that should be on the list? What's your favourite KO? Let me know either in the comments or on Twitter @TheWeighInMMA.
Showing posts with label Almeida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Almeida. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Friday, 27 January 2017
MMA Awards 2017: The Case For... Cody Garbrandt
As breakouts go, coming from unranked to champion of the world in the space of 12 months is about as fairytale as it gets. As we entered 2016, Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt was just another promising UFC bantamweight fighter, travelling largely under the radar behind other young prospects like Thomas Almeida and Aljamain Sterling. Interestingly, at a UFC 199 press conference, then champ Dominick Cruz insisted he knew nothing of the 24-year-old, stating that to him, Garbrandt was just another of the 'young kids on the block'.
Whether that statement was true or not, just six months later at UFC 207, Cruz was being comprehensively out-manoevered by the Alpha Male fighter on the way to a convincing unanimous decision defeat.
This was the end to another picture perfect year for No Love, racking up a 4-0 record during 2016. When compared to the other nominees, only Derrick Lewis can match his record, with Michael 'Venom' Page (3-0), Yair Rodriguez (2-0) both remaining unbeaten during the year. Meanwhile Doo Ho Choi, despite posting a contender for Fight of the Year, could only manage a 1-1 record during 2016, ultimately keeping him out of the running for this award.
So other than his record during the year, why does Garbrandt's rise stand out from his peers? Over the last 12 months, he has announced himself on the world stage on two separate occasions, starching the aforementioned Almeida in his first bout as headliner, before shocking the MMA universe to claim the belt from Cruz on December 30th. In comparison, both Bellator's Page and Rodriguez could only manage a once, with MVP hitting the headlines with his brutal flying knee knockout of Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos, while Rodriguez also executed a perfect flying technique of his own against Andre Fili at UFC 197.
Doo Ho Choi, the Korean Superboy, stood out for his fight against Cub Swanson, but with it ultimately ending in defeat, perhaps 2017 should be targeted as his breakthrough year. Similarly, Derrick Lewis remains in the mid-card of a rather weak UFC heavyweight division, with his only headline performance an underwhelming 4th round TKO victory against Shamil Abdurakhimov. With Travis Browne slated to be next for 'The Black Beast', next year could prove to be the one that makes his name.
When it comes to Garbrandt's key moments, while the power he displayed to knock out Almeida was impressive, it was the manner of his victory at UFC 207 that solidified him as not just a future star, but one for the present. Anyone who has watched a Dominick Cruz fight knows how elusive he is, and how unpredictable his movement has been in recent bouts, out-thinking both TJ Dillashaw and Urijah Faber to claim and retain the title.
However, when it came to the new Alpha Male prospect, Cruz found himself in an uncomfortable position from the word go. With Garbrandt seemingly unfazed by the high pressure environment, as well as the acrimonious build-up, which many believed would leave him emotional inside the cage, he demonstrated remarkable composure to not just live with the champion, but bamboozle him. His footwork and head movement were second to none, so much so that he was able to drop his hands and spawn a number of GIFs and Anderson Silva comparisons. Such was Garbrandt's success, he was able to dance, complete press-ups and taunt Cruz following a knock-down!
There is no doubt about his fighting technique, but if Garbrandt is lacking in any area, it's charisma on the microphone. Cruz made it perfectly clear in the build-up to UFC 207 that he didn't rate No Love's intelligence, and it's certainly true that in the current trend of sport and entertainment, Garbrandt offers far more inside the Octagon than outside.
But perhaps that isn't a bad thing. While he certainly generates conversations, both in real life and on social media, MVP's brash and cocky attitude also rubs many people up the wrong way. His disdain for opponents even after the event, particularly in the case of Cyborg Santos, whose skull he caved in with his knee, is seen as disrespectful. Likewise, the release of a dance video mocking Ronda Rousey's defeat to Amanda Nunes highlights the distasteful nature of his mental game. Ultimately, it sells fights, but Garbrandt has so far let his talking happen in the cage, and he seems to have done just fine!
Nevertheless, No Love has become one of the most exciting bantamweight fighters of all time, and it will be intriguing to see whether he excels in the role of champion as he did as the underdog. TJ Dillashaw, if that is to be his first defence, will certainly ask questions, but if he stays behind his hammer of a right hand, he will rapidly move from the 'Breakthrough' category to the headline one in no time at all.
Whether that statement was true or not, just six months later at UFC 207, Cruz was being comprehensively out-manoevered by the Alpha Male fighter on the way to a convincing unanimous decision defeat.
This was the end to another picture perfect year for No Love, racking up a 4-0 record during 2016. When compared to the other nominees, only Derrick Lewis can match his record, with Michael 'Venom' Page (3-0), Yair Rodriguez (2-0) both remaining unbeaten during the year. Meanwhile Doo Ho Choi, despite posting a contender for Fight of the Year, could only manage a 1-1 record during 2016, ultimately keeping him out of the running for this award.
So other than his record during the year, why does Garbrandt's rise stand out from his peers? Over the last 12 months, he has announced himself on the world stage on two separate occasions, starching the aforementioned Almeida in his first bout as headliner, before shocking the MMA universe to claim the belt from Cruz on December 30th. In comparison, both Bellator's Page and Rodriguez could only manage a once, with MVP hitting the headlines with his brutal flying knee knockout of Evangelista 'Cyborg' Santos, while Rodriguez also executed a perfect flying technique of his own against Andre Fili at UFC 197.
Doo Ho Choi, the Korean Superboy, stood out for his fight against Cub Swanson, but with it ultimately ending in defeat, perhaps 2017 should be targeted as his breakthrough year. Similarly, Derrick Lewis remains in the mid-card of a rather weak UFC heavyweight division, with his only headline performance an underwhelming 4th round TKO victory against Shamil Abdurakhimov. With Travis Browne slated to be next for 'The Black Beast', next year could prove to be the one that makes his name.
When it comes to Garbrandt's key moments, while the power he displayed to knock out Almeida was impressive, it was the manner of his victory at UFC 207 that solidified him as not just a future star, but one for the present. Anyone who has watched a Dominick Cruz fight knows how elusive he is, and how unpredictable his movement has been in recent bouts, out-thinking both TJ Dillashaw and Urijah Faber to claim and retain the title.
However, when it came to the new Alpha Male prospect, Cruz found himself in an uncomfortable position from the word go. With Garbrandt seemingly unfazed by the high pressure environment, as well as the acrimonious build-up, which many believed would leave him emotional inside the cage, he demonstrated remarkable composure to not just live with the champion, but bamboozle him. His footwork and head movement were second to none, so much so that he was able to drop his hands and spawn a number of GIFs and Anderson Silva comparisons. Such was Garbrandt's success, he was able to dance, complete press-ups and taunt Cruz following a knock-down!
There is no doubt about his fighting technique, but if Garbrandt is lacking in any area, it's charisma on the microphone. Cruz made it perfectly clear in the build-up to UFC 207 that he didn't rate No Love's intelligence, and it's certainly true that in the current trend of sport and entertainment, Garbrandt offers far more inside the Octagon than outside.
But perhaps that isn't a bad thing. While he certainly generates conversations, both in real life and on social media, MVP's brash and cocky attitude also rubs many people up the wrong way. His disdain for opponents even after the event, particularly in the case of Cyborg Santos, whose skull he caved in with his knee, is seen as disrespectful. Likewise, the release of a dance video mocking Ronda Rousey's defeat to Amanda Nunes highlights the distasteful nature of his mental game. Ultimately, it sells fights, but Garbrandt has so far let his talking happen in the cage, and he seems to have done just fine!
Nevertheless, No Love has become one of the most exciting bantamweight fighters of all time, and it will be intriguing to see whether he excels in the role of champion as he did as the underdog. TJ Dillashaw, if that is to be his first defence, will certainly ask questions, but if he stays behind his hammer of a right hand, he will rapidly move from the 'Breakthrough' category to the headline one in no time at all.
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