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We have been handled to greater than our justifiable share of earth-shattering knockouts within the UFC and elsewhere in 2021 – so many, in actual fact, that it has been tough to select simply 10 from the intensive record of spectacular MMA KOs.
Some, although, stand out from the gang. One featured the return of a king however who took a earlier opponent frivolously and fell on his sword, one other noticed one in all MMA’s most beolved veterans fall to a fighter main the best way for a brand new era, and one other noticed earlier authority nicely and actually underscored in a rematch.
Just a few beautiful knockouts are unfortunate to not make the minimize (with a very apology on account of Sergio Pettis for his fight-ending shot towards Kyoji Horiguchi just lately) – however the beneath set a very excessive bar for what was one other yr of savage finishes contained in the cage.
Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor II – UFC 257, January 24
The rematch seven years within the making wasn’t imagined to go this fashion, from Conor McGregor’s perspective at the very least. After beforehand delivering on his promise to ‘bounce’ his Dustin Poirier’s head off the canvas on his meteoric ascent by the featherweight rankings in 2014, issues had been completely different in 2021.
McGregor, by now the game’s largest star, minimize a really completely different determine to the brash firebrand he had embodied in earlier fractious feuds with the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and others, and had publicly claimed this battle can be little greater than a 60-second exhibition upfront of a mooted payday towards boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
Actuality, although, comes laborious and quick, and on this explicit instance, within the form of a fearsome flurry unleashed by the Louisiana native towards the Irishman who appeared caught chilly by his opponent’s sheer aggression earlier than he was dropped an summarily completed halfway by the second spherical. The rematch some months later would not go any higher both. The truth is, it was considerably worse. Not even Mystic Mac may have predicted that.
Cory Sandhagen vs. Frankie Edgar – UFC Battle Night time 184, February 6
MMA has, through the years, given us various ‘altering of the guard’ moments and 2021’s iteration got here within the form of Cory Sandhagen’s elegant flying knee knockout of battle veteran and former UFC light-weight champion Frankie Edgar.
The end to the battle was outstanding for 2 causes: the majesty of the approach employed by Sandhagen, and simply who he carried out it towards. Edgar, powerful as a New Jersey steak, had developed a status all through his profession as being close to unattainable to complete (simply ask Grey Maynard about that).
Brian Ortega lastly turned the primary to take action in 2018 earlier than ‘The Korean Zombie’ did the identical – however none had been fairly as spectacular as Sandhagen’s spotlight reel KO.
Derrick Lewis vs. Curtis Blaydes – UFC Battle Night time 185, February 20
It is solely becoming that the person just lately topped because the UFC’s all-time knockout king options on this record. Few males on this planet possess the identical kind of knockout energy of their fist as ‘The Black Beast’ Derrick Lewis, and nearly none of them get pleasure from utilizing it fairly a lot as the person from New Orleans.
Blaydes, although, was the heavy betting favourite going into their battle earlier this yr after Lewis had beforehand exhibited difficulties towards excessive degree wrestlers – and on this incarnation of the UFC’s heavyweight body, there aren’t many higher outfitted to stifle a person of Lewis’ undoubted energy.
Each spherical begins on its toes although, and within the second Blaydes paid a heavy value for a slipshod try at closing the space as he walked headlong right into a thunderous proper uppercut from Lewis and that was sufficient to place him down. Lewis repeated his feat this previous weekend towards Chris Daukaus – and as nicely earlier this yr towards an unlucky man who tried to interrupt into his automobile, although we’re undecided that one strictly counts in direction of his report.
Rose Namajunas vs. Weili Zhang – UFC 261, April 24
There aren’t many fighters higher outfitted to upset the chances than ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas. After her huge upset win towards the then-undefeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk in late 2017, she was requested to do it yet again simply six months later. And do it she did.
Then got here revenge agaisnt Jessica Andrade, the one girl to defeat her previously 5 years – all earlier than what was thought-about her best take a look at to this point: Chinese language standout Zhang Weili, winner of 21 fights in a row.
As soon as once more, ‘Thug Rose’ was the heavy underdog and as soon as once more she made a mockery of the Vegas sportsbooks, collapsing the Chinese language champion with a slick excessive kick in one of many first exchanges within the opening spherical – earlier than doing it yet again final month of their rematch, successful by cut up determination. Let or not it’s stated, solely a idiot will ever doubt Rose Namajunas once more.
Then we transfer to the UberStacked card that was UFC 261. Thug Rose turns into the one girl to regain a title when she obliterates Zhang Weili with a headkick pic.twitter.com/7lOL8w6KD2
— Kermit Jagger (@mormon_mma) December 13, 2021
Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal II – UFC 261, April 24
It is uncommon {that a} shedding title challenger will get one other alternative on the gold after a conclusive determination loss the primary time spherical, however that is precisely what was afforded to UFC star Jorge Masvidal after he was defeated by the dominant welterweight champion of their first match.
The narrative was that Masvidal, who as much as that time had been on a dominant streak with wins towards Ben Askren, Darren Until and Nate Diaz, wasn’t given enough time to arrange when he stepped in for Gilbert Burns towards Usman, and that issues can be completely different if he may have a full coaching camp earlier than tangling with ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ as soon as extra.
Nicely, this proved to not be the case. Usman, the most recent in a line of dominant wrestlers to point out huge enhancements of their fingers, confirmed off his newfound energy as he walked Masvidal right into a crushing overhand early within the second spherical, spectacularly exploding a cloud of perspiration into the air whereas doing so.
There have been no excuses this time, nor may there be after the proof within the cage final April.
As if it had been clockwork Kamaru Usman comes out and starches Jorge Masvidal in what many argue, primarily based on the circumstances surrounding the battle, is the KO of the yr. pic.twitter.com/hxte3v6j2M
— Kermit Jagger (@mormon_mma) December 13, 2021
Jiri Prochazka vs. Dominick Reyes – UFC Vegas 25, Could 1
If you do not know the title but, you’ll quickly. Czech kickboxer Prochazka is without doubt one of the largest rising stars in a UFC mild heavyweight division nonetheless discovering its toes after Jon Jones relinquished his title to (ultimately) transfer to heavyweight, and signaled precisely what he can do with arguably the very best UFC knockout of 2021 towards Dominick Reyes – a person many thought could nicely have eked out a call win towards Jones a yr prior.
Prochazka is a kind of fighters who finds consolation in chaos and threw each trick within the e-book towards Reyes, the previous collegiate American Soccer star many had earmarked as a respectable title menace in Jones’ absence.
However with one spin of his elbow, Prochazka transplanted Reyes’ hype onto him and the 28-3-1 rising star is poised to take the UFC’s 205lbs division by the scruff of the neck in 2022.
Edson Barboza vs. Shane Burgos – UFC 262, Could 16
This is without doubt one of the more odd knockouts of this, or every other yr. What’s common about that is that it was Barboza, a daily characteristic on most of these lists, who authored it – more-so the style through which it occurred.
The Brazilian linked with a one-two in what had been a pulsating battle to that time however after a full three seconds had elapsed, Burgos poker face defied him and he stumbled backwards in direction of the cage after his legs refused to observe instructions.
Barboza adopted him and, nicely, you realize the remaining.
Chris Barnett vs. Gian Villante – UFC 268, November 6
Males of this dimension simply aren’t supposed to maneuver this fashion, however most males haven’t got the distinctive capabilities of Chris Barnett, a person who has two nicknames: ‘Beast Boy’ and ‘Huggy Bear’.
Frankly, each are applicable. Barnett, who had develop into a viral sensation on-line after a few of his extra astonishing abilities within the cage whirled round Twitter, was invited to the UFC to see if he may replicate his eye-catching finishes or in the event that they had been finest left to regional exhibits towards lesser opponents.
Villante might be wishing that this explicit cellphone name hadn’t been made. Barnett confirmed off each little bit of the weird dexterity which had been mentioned in battle boards for months, unfurling a wheel kick which linked flush to Villante and despatched him sprawling to the mat. Just a few observe up pictures on the bottom later and it was throughout, and the UFC’s heavyweight division has a brand new ‘should watch’ fighter.
Medhi Dakaev vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov – EFC 43, December 10
A current title battle from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC exhibited one of many extra dramatic finishes seen to a battle in current occasions when Russian fighter Dakaev collapsed his opponent with what’s, to our eyes at the very least, the first-ever diving left hook seen in excessive degree MMA.
Certain, we have seen spectacular methods within the cage earlier than however what number of of them have occurred in mid-air?
One can solely think about that Nurmagomedov, watching with curiosity from cageside, greater than appreciated what he noticed.
Roberto Solidic vs. Mamed Khalidov – KSW 65, December 18
Essentially the most anticipated battle European MMA has seen this yr, or most different years for that matter, definitely did not disappoint. It relies upon who you ask however many battle followers will attest that Croatia’s Roberto Soldic is the best fighter not at present employed by the UFC and his handiwork towards European MMA legend Khalidov final weekend confirmed precisely why.
The battle, which featured KSW’s welterweight champion (Soldic) towards its middleweight king (Khalidov), had been the topic of big anticipation from these within the know – and when it got here, it definitely did not let anybody down.
Soldic is as aggressive a striker as exists in blended martial arts immediately, along with his left hook recognized for being a very concussive weapon – and it proved to be the battle ending shot when it linked flush on Khalidov’s chin within the second spherical of what was a vastly entertaining battle.
It was the primary time since 2004 that 45-fight veteran Khalidov had been completed by strikes, however few males have one of these dynamite of their fingers.
READ MORE: The most important UFC fights in retailer for 2022 (VIDEO)
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