Slam knockouts almost never happen in the UFC, but Saturday was different.
On the UFC on ESPN 52 prelims at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, [autotag]Drakkar Klose[/autotag] (14-2-1 MMA, 8-2 UFC) elevated and slammed [autotag]Joe Solecki[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) for a rare slam knockout. The stoppage came at the 1:41 mark of Round 1.
Solecki’s undoing turned out to be an armbar attempt off his back. As Solecki sought a fight-ending torque, the side of his head was driven hard into the canvas with the slam for a direct impact. Solecki’s head bounced like a basketball off the mat and his lights went out.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT 😳 #UFCAUSTIN pic.twitter.com/Sv2EdyC9kE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 2, 2023
The bout was Klose’s first since July 2022 and extended his winning streak to three. On the flip side, Solecki had a two-fight winning streak snapped.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 52 results include:
- Drakkar Klose def. Joe Solecki via knockout (slam) – Round 1, 1:41
- Rodolfo Bellato def. Ihor Potieria via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:17
- Jared Gooden def. Wellington Turman via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:11
- Veronica Hardy def. Jamey-Lyn Horth via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.