Daniel Cormier knocks out Stipe Miocic
Date: July 7, 2018
Event: UFC 226
Just one year prior, Daniel Cormier seemed all but a defeated man after losing to Jon Jones back at UFC 214. But after a superfight opportunity with [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] presents itself at heavyweight, Cormier just couldn’t help but jump back on the horse of high aspirations.
Not only did Cormier successfully dethrone the arguable-greatest UFC heavyweight champion (if we’re strictly talking stats here), but he did so by reminding the masses the importance of clinch fighting at heavyweight, as well as how potent a punch can be when you don’t see it coming off of a break.
Khabib Nurmagomedov submits Conor McGregor
Date: Oct. 6, 2018
Event: UFC 229
There’s admittedly not a lot of flash to this finish, but it’s hard to deny the historical significance of [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] submitting Conor McGregor.
Both men are much more complete as mixed martial artists than their detractors will give them credit for, but this was about as classic of a “striker vs. grappler” matchup that this decade could have afforded us. The fact that statues were erected of this fight finish aside, Nurmagomedov’s eventual neck crank provides a great example of how persistent grappling pressure will, like water, eventually break everything down it resides in – even if you don’t give your chin.
Amanda Nunes knocks out Cris Cyborg
Date: Dec. 29, 2018
Event: UFC 232
[autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] knocking out [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] is another finish on this list that’s hard to deny for its historical significance.
Sure, Nunes may have beat Cyborg at her own game off the initial impression, but if you look closer you will see that Nunes – a fighter whose wildness traditionally plagued her in spots like these – kept her cool and leaned on her deceptive counter-punching abilities to hurt the legendary Cyborg and line up subsequent right hands.
Nunes beat many other notable fighters in her recent title run, but this particular fight pitted the most prolific fight finishers in any female ranks against each other – and Nunes was the one who came out on top.
No. 1: Jorge Masvidal knocks out Ben Askren
Date: July 6, 2019
Event: UFC 239
It only seems fitting that the guy who ends the previous decade getting posterized (via submission loss to Toby Imada in 2009) finishes this decade off as the one who is doing the posterizing.
Coming in as “the fighter of the year” for many, [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] is closing out the decade with a late-career renaissance that’s hard not to get behind. The 16-year pro scored three impressive finishes in 2019, but it’s safe to say that his flying-knee knockout over [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag] will forever have a home in both highlight reels and wrestlers minds alike.
In a decade full of amazing knee knockouts, this one takes the cake. It perfectly marries the elevated athleticism and information from experience that, to me, represents the overarching theme to the fight finishes we’ve seen in the last 10 years.