On UFC‘s Fight Island (Yas Island in Dubai) Saturday, Joaquin Buckley squared off against Impa Kasanganay in a middleweight bout. This is how you get $50,000 for knocking an opponent out cold and looking like a ninja in the bargain.
The spectacular knockdown happened in round 2. Buckley came in with a high kick that Kasanganay ably blocked and held. Then they entered The Matrix for a moment as Buckley leveraged his opponent’s tight hold on one leg to pivot and deliver a gracefully brutal spinning heel kick for the ages.
As seen in the video, the blow flattened Kasanganay. Lights out.
Analyst Paul Felder dubbed it “the greatest KO I’ve seen ever” and the fighters’ colleagues in the UFC quickly tweeted their admiration for the move.
Sherdog.com reports Buckley did receive a $50,000 bonus for the spectacular move.
As for Impa Kasanganay, his response—after he recovered—was a model of good sportsmanship.
It’s not the kind of move that anyone could easily reproduce, but it would be shocking if there weren’t several more attempts in UFC matches to come.
