SportsJOE counts down the best knockouts inside the Octagon this year.
2014 has been an exciting year for the UFC. New champions were crowned, long-reigning champs showed their brilliance and we saw some spectacular finishes that we've come to associate with the largest promotion in the sport. So without further adieu, here are our top 10 most vicious UFC knockouts of 2014.
10 - Josh Samman vs Eddie Gordon
This came during the promotion's final PPV event of the year, UFC 181. Irish fans might recognise Eddie "the Truck" Gordan as the man who sent Cathal Pendred crashing out of The Ultimate Fighter. Gordan was coping well with Samman's kicking game throughout the bout, catching every body kick that was thrown at him. Then Samman had the ingenious idea of switching it up and trying a kick upstairs. The rest as they say is history.
9 - Luke Rockhold vs Costas Philippou
Let us rewind the clock from December all the way back to January now. Rockhold had a point to prove going into this bout. The former Strikeforce champion was on the receiving end of a Vitor Belfort spinning heal-kick in his promotional debut. It earned the Brazilian 2013's knockout of the year accolade. There were a lot of doubts about whether Rockhold was able for the step up in competition in the UFC after that fight. There were absolutely no questions about where he belonged after he dropped Philippou.
8 - KJ Noons vs Sam Stout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvQiOo_Vr8
While the knockout itself was incredible, the reason why this made our list is because of the effect it had on poor Sam Stout. The Canadian had absolutely no idea where he was after the forceful haymaker, as you can see by the way he tried to submit the referee after he intervened. To be fair, he did force a tap from the man in the middle. Technically he was 1-1 inside the Octagon that night.
7 - Chris Beal vs Patrick Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv9oOsu_K4o
There is something very satisfying about a flying-knee KO. This one from Chris Beal does not disappoint. He goes up against Dubliner Neil Seery in Sweden next.
6 - Mark Hunt vs Roy Nelson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qks9pmTFPH8
Perhaps John Kavanagh was right. If this finish is anything to go by, maybe Jesus does love knockouts. The Super Samoan achieved the impossible in Japan by knocking out Roy Nelson. Big Country had been known for his super human ability to eat haymakers without being dropped and prior to this fight, he had never been KO'd in the UFC.
5 - Abel Trujillo vs Jamie Varner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWyaGFqorbA
Abel Trujillo came back from the dead during this fight. He was being consistently outstruck and was well beaten on the feet by Jamie Varner. As soon as Varner looked like to be closing in on the finish, Killa unloaded an unbelievable, Hail Mary haymaker from hell that sent him crashing down to the canvas.
4 - Roy Nelson vs Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veAUflDtwTU
Roy Nelson has got hands like cinder blocks. His overhand right is among the greatest in the history of the sport. It has worked for him time and time again, and against Nogueia it came up trumps again. This marked the first time the big Brazilian was knocked out in a non-title fight.
3 - Donald Cerrone vs Adriano Martins
http://youtu.be/v8yLXdx1VQ8
Holy head-kick! Donald Cerrone has had an incredible year. Cowboy won all four of his bouts inside the Octagon and he did so in style. Perhaps the highlight of 2014 for Cowboy was this stunning head-kick KO against Adriano Martins.
2 - Dong Hyun Kim vs John Hathaway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL_9nR7_59s
Dong Hyun Kim lived up to his moniker by stunning world with the first spinning elbow KO in the history of the UFC. Unfortunately, this was both the best and the worst thing that could have happened to the South Korean. He appeared to try and make lightning strike twice when he fought Woodley a few months later, looking to land a plethora of spinning strikes against the big American early in the bout. Stun Gun was firmly put in his place by T-Wood who earned a dominant first round TKO win.
Nonetheless, it truly was an outstanding KO and was unlucky to finish up second best this year. In the words of Nick Diaz, "so, we're throwing spinning shit now?"
1 - Dan Henderson vs Shogun
http://youtu.be/uQiqc86-vUc?t=2m39s
If you were impressed with Abel Trujillo's Lazarus-like return, you'll be blown away by Dan Henderson's miraculous comeback against Mauricio Shogun Rua. This was billed as one of the most eagerly anticipated fights of 2014. When the duo first met inside the Octagon, it was a 25-minute war that the American just about edged. The ferocious first battle was one of the greatest fights in UFC history. However, from the very first round, the second leg looked destined to disappoint.
The Brazilian outclassed Henderson over three rounds, so much so that it was becoming difficult to watch. He was pummeling the American with vicious strikes and it was looking like Henderson would be hitting the mat at any second. Then came the moment of magic. Henderson wound up and connected with his patented H-bomb right hook haymaker, and just like that, one punch changed the outcome of the fight.
