MMA

Top 10 Knockouts of 2009

Posted By Marcos Villegas on the Dec 30 2009

 10. The crowning of a new champion-Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans- As the only fighter with two knockouts on this list, Machida had a huge 2009. The Brazilian Karate master went 3-0, amid cries that he should have lost his decision win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Nevertheless, Machida continued his momentum with the Thiago Silva KO, with another spectacular KO over unbeaten Rashad Evans.

 

9.  When someone backhands you, turn the other cheek and fall down-Yahir Reyes vs. Estevan Payan- Boy did this knockout go viral on the internet. It brought attention to Bellator who continued with a series of great fighters to end their inaugural season. Reyes instantly knocked out his opponent to make it to the Bellator final that he eventually lost to Joe Soto.

 

8. Zaromskis sends High back, back to Cali, Cali-Marius Zaromskis vs. Jason High- Southern California’s Jason High was having a dream night reaching the final of the Dream 10 welterweight Grand Prix. He would soon be having nightmares of a Zaromskis high kick that ended his hopes for the Japanese welterweight crown. The Lithuanian striker landed a perfect kick that put High flat on his back to be crowned the promotions welterweight GP winner. 

 

7. The hand of god-Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland- “The Phenom” reminded everyone just how dangerous he still is as he delivered a straight right with all the might of the Brazilian Amazon that laid out Matt Lindland for five minutes. Lindland was ok to the relief of Belfort and those in attendance at Affliction: Day of Reckoning; The Brazilian was soon rewarded with a contract back into the UFC.

 

6. Jose Aldo’s video game finisher-Jose Aldo vs. Cub Swanson- Few would have thought that in just five short months 22 year old Jose Aldo would be atop the Featherweight division. Those lucky enough to have the WEC on Versus thanks to their cable provider saw something straight out of Street Fighter II the night Jose Aldo fought Cub Swanson. A double flying knee connected to the face of Swanson sending him to the ground and Aldo finishing the fight with strikes from above. This KO put the world on notice that Aldo was coming for then champion Mike Brown.

 

5. Machida’s buzzer beater-Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva- Someone’s 0 had to go in this super fight between two unbeatens. Silva's aggression seemed perfect for Machida's patient in-and-out karate style. Silva paid dearly as the pressure fighter was being pot shotted left and right in the first round at UFC 98. Clearly frustrated and demoralized, Silva was popped by a Machida strike that sent him to the canvas. The current light heavyweight champion followed it up with a heat seeking like strike to put Silva in dreamland with milliseconds left in the first round.

 

4. Hornbuckle kick’s his way to recognition-Dan Hornbuckle vs. Akihiro Gono- So why put this one in the top five of the year when you have other KO's out there. Well for one, I take into account the skill of the fighter that was knocked out and the sheer wow factor of it. Now what I mean by wow factor is not just how superb the knockout was, but rather how unexpected the knockout was. This was very much the case with Dan Hornbuckle. He was unknown coming into his fight with Gono on the eve of their Sengoku fight. Midway thru the second round, with Gono clearly winning the fight, Hornbuckle landed a brutal right kick to the dome of everyone's favorite Japanese fighter and laid him out instantly. That was a shock; not only did Gono lose to an unknown, but knocked out in brutal fashion.

 

3. Hendo rides off into the sunset-Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping- What a way to end your UFC career with a highlight reel knockout over the highly skilled Englishman in Michael Bisping. Hendo ripped a hook that Bisping never saw coming in round two of their fight at UFC 100. Add Bisping to the list of Britons with bad teeth after that knock out.

 

2. Nate Marquardt twists Maia in half-Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia- Maia was on a hot streak with five consecutive wins in the UFC coming into his match with Nate Marquardt. Some were calling him the next great middleweight, but that all changed in about twenty seconds in the first round of his UFC 102 bout. Maia attempted to throw a kick but was welcomed by a Marquardt straight right that literally almost made Maia do a front flip when he was hit. This would have made KO of the year if Maia somehow would of been in the air and Marquardt were to throw that same punch causing a mid air knockout front flip. We can dream right....

 

1. Fedor’s mighty overhand right-Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski- Ok so you have probably looked at a bunch of other lists and your thinking, well those other guys didn't put this as number one. Well screw the other guys, I don't think I have in recent memory ever seen someone get KTFO in mid air ever. You know how hard that is to do? You can call it sheer skill on Fedor's part or just plain luck but it was enough to give Oscar De La Hoya and others in attendance an "O" face for about the rest of the night, myself included.