Chris Weidman TKOs Anderson Silva
Date: Dec. 28, 2013
Event: UFC 168 “Weidman vs. Silva 2”
For every trend that finds its way to the surface in MMA, a solution is usually not very far behind.
Despite Anderson Silva seldom relying heavily on leg kicks, his attacks toward [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag]’s lower extremities was one of the only things that the former champ was effective with in their first fight – which probably meant he was going to try and build off of it in their rematch at UFC 168.
Sure enough, Silva went hard and heavy with inside leg licks early –– something Weidman was ready for. And after two sturdy leg checks from the then-champion, Silva’s leg snapped in a horrific way that will make anyone respect the two-way street of slinging shins down low.
Holly Holm knocks out Ronda Rousey
Date: Nov. 15, 2015
Event: UFC 193
[autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag] deserves a ton of credit for not only her historical significance to MMA, but also for the fact that, for a certain period of time, she successfully built a “Mike Tyson aura” around a submission move like the armbar.
But for as many finishes as Rousey produced, it’s hard to argue that the most emphatic finish she took part in sadly saw her on the receiving end of the equation. And in one of the largest shows (with the biggest promotional build-ups) in UFC history, [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] found herself playing the role of Frank Nitti via the form of a brutal head kick off the break, reminding us all that – no matter your record or status – everyone in MMA is ‘touchable.’
Conor McGregor knocks out Jose Aldo
Date: Dec. 12, 2015
Event: UFC 194
Historical context alone makes it hard to leave [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s 13-second finish of [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] off of this list.
It’s not only a picture-perfect snippet of some of my favorite stylings of southpaw counter-fighting, but it also serves a reminder for how fast skills and expectations can diminish if you lose the proverbial fight before the fight. Whether you’re a fan of McGregor’s antics or not, it’s hard to deny that he didn’t make use of his promotional time prior to fighting Aldo at UFC 194 – something that seemed the play out in spades for the Irishman and was key in propelling him toward sparking off (for better or worse) the champ-champ era.
Nate Diaz submits Conor McGregor
Date: March 5, 2016
Event: UFC 196
“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
Despite the record-setting performance mentioned on the previous page, Conor McGregor’s planned meet with then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos fell through, creating a short-notice opportunity for one [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag].
This fight/the flint lighter that sparks off its finish is a perfect example of something I always preach in my breakdowns, which is the fact that many southpaws can get uncomfortable when forced to stand with other lefties – particularly due to the inherent left-handed availabilities that seem extra potent in this mirrored stance (see Jorge Masvidal vs. Darren Till).
McGregor-Diaz 1 also serves as an example of why you can’t count out short-notice opposition in MMA, especially when we’re talking about durable veterans with a gas tanks.