When watching Edson Barboza take on Kevin Lee in Atlantic City, we almost got to see a repeat of an amazing knockout of the night performance. We are of course talking about Edson’s wheel kick that almost turned off Lee’s lights, which would have shocked the division. Things didn’t play out quite like that, unfortunately for Edson, but it lead to the question “What are some of the most shocking knockouts to go down in UFC History?”. With that said, we look at and break down some of the sport’s blink and you missed it knock out performances.
No. 5. Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim
Barboza might be most feared in the UFC for the tremendous power of his leg kicks. They come hard, fast, and their dangerous nature earned Barboza the compliment of being the “best kicker in the game” from Joe Rogan. Joe is spot on with his assessment of Edson’s kicking game, as we have witnessed on multiple occasions that Edson can stop a fight very easily with kicks. Edson’s impressive versatility with his kicks add a level of excitement to his overall striking abilities. Every time you watch an Edson fight, you can easily imagine the amount of power he generates every time he makes impact.
Edson’s devastating leg kicking ability is his bread and butter most fights but has never been quite as prominent as it was at UFC 142 when he fought Terry Etim. During a double bonus performance, Edson would find himself immortalized in UFC history when he landed a wildly powerful wheel kick that left Etim rigid on the mat and looking up towards the lights. If you’re a fan of the sport and haven’t watched this knock out yet, what are you waiting for? Get on YouTube and find it now! Then let me know what you thought about it in the comment section below.
No. 4. Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
In February of 2011, Anderson Silva was the reigning King of the UFC Middleweight division and he was without a worthy challenger to that throne. That was until the UFC resigned Vitor Belfort, who made quick work out of Rich Franklin and earned himself a shot at Anderson’s Middleweight Championship. The stage was set for Belfort to make history at UFC 103 by defeating Silva and ending his record reign as champion in the division.
Fate would have other plans that night for Belfort and Silva.
Although the fight went barely above 3 minutes into the 1st round, those who watched it live felt as if time slowed to a crawl, as the pair of knockout artists took their time with strikes. Every shot seemed deliberate and measured with vile intentions. No shot rang through the arena louder than the shot Silva landed out of no where to end the fight. As quick as a bolt of lightning, Anderson delivered a picture-perfect front kick that dropped Belfort to the canvas. Silva followed it up with a nice but unnecessary combo to seal the deal and continue his dominant reign for another 2 years. This is a knockout that most have already seen a thousand times, as it’s in pretty much any highlight reel the UFC makes because of how incredible it is.
No. 3. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Perhaps one of the more cringe worthy knock outs on the list, Cro Cop vs Gonzaga has an interesting story of irony to the shocking knockout that ended this fight.
For years, Mirko Cro Cop marched through fighters all across the world, earning his share of vicious knock outs. Like Edson earlier on the list, Cro Cop loves him some leg kicks. However, Cro Cop is a huge heavyweight fighter who loves nothing more than kicking his opponents directly in the head. This love of head kicking his opponents lead to the most intimidating disclaimer in MMA history. Cro Cop would warn all opponents about his kicks and how brutal they are by saying “Right leg, hospital; Left leg, cemetery.” Who would even want to fight a man with a catch phrase as horrific as that one?
Well, Gabriel Gonzaga wasn’t afraid and took a fight against Cro Cop at UFC 70 and delivered one of the biggest upsets in the MMA world at the time. In a back and forth fight that Gonzaga himself said was close to being another knock out performance for Cro Cop, Gabriel managed to throw a right head kick of his own. It was this head kick that not only knocked out Mirko, but during his collapse his ankle folded underneath him in a gruesome sight. If you find this knockout online, it’s not for the faint of heart. Ironically, it would be Gabriel’s right leg that would end up sending Cro Cop to the hospital that night.
No. 2. Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo
Love him or hate him, McGregor did more than just back up his talk in his fight with Jose Aldo. The build up between these two men went over multiple countries and lasted just under a year. McGregor stated from his first day in the UFC that he would be the man to beat Jose, and even after his first win he said that his mentality was that he was already champion. It was this mentality that would continue to grow fight after fight, as McGregor would become more of the personality we know today. McGregor would make bold claims all the time, specifically referencing how he wasn’t even sure if Aldo could take one punch.
Jose Aldo is no stranger to wars and knock out performances in his hall of fame career. From flying knees, to leg kicks and everything in between, Jose Aldo had the arsenal of moves one would expect from a dominant champion. It was hard to believe McGregor’s claim after watching Aldo’s 10 year run where Jose didn’t lose a single fight. Mystic Mac shocked the world on December 12, 2015. It took McGregor only 13 seconds to unload the left hand shot he kept saying would put Aldo to sleep, and he was right. Even McGregor was shocked about how short the fight ended up being. Time will continue to pass in the UFC, but McGregor’s shocking knock out at UFC 194 will remain iconic for years to come.
No. 1. Michael Bisping vs Dan Henderson
For long term fans, this knock out felt rewarding in more ways than one. To set a bit of backstory, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping coached the season of the Ultimate Fighter where the UK team took on the USA team. The Ultimate Fighter is a series from the UFC that takes two established UFC Fighters and has them coach opposing teams of up and coming fighters in a tournament style set up. This season added an extra bit of flare by putting the United Kingdom up and comers against the USA team. To maximize the drama, UFC execs made sure that the brash Michael Bisping would be the UK coach, while the quiet and mild-mannered Dan Henderson would be coaching the USA team. For weeks, fans would witness Bisping do everything to annoy Henderson, from critiquing his coaching ability, to various insults and gestures. This road lead both men to UFC 100, where Dan Henderson would get the chance to give Bisping a proper retort to all his insults.
Throughout the 1st round, Bisping shinned by making Henderson fight his fight. The one mistake that was continually pointed out during the fight was Bisping’s tendency to circle into Henderson’s right hand. This mistake would end up costing Bisping dearly in the 2nd round when he circled into Henderson’s right hand 1 too many times. Henderson caught Bisping with a destructive right hand, otherwise known in MMA as the “H-Bomb”. The “H-bomb” is something that Dan delivers to his opponents to send them into a deep slumber. Henderson didn’t think 1 was enough though, and before the referee could stop the bout, Henderson delivered another flying “H-Bomb” for good measure. This knockout is a classic in the UFC, especially with the backstory and rivalry it’s worth checking out.
What are some of your favorite knock outs in UFC history? Comment below and let us know what lists you would like to see next!