5 best UFC knockouts of November 2022
Across three UFC events in November, the world's leading MMA promotion once again delivered the goods.
The blockbuster pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden on November 12 was sandwiched between two regular Fight Night shows at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, with all three events producing some stunning finishes.
We even witnessed the crowning of a new champion via a sensational fifth-round knockout, but more on that later.
All hail the 𝐍𝐄𝐖 MW king 👑
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The penultimate month of 2022 had no shortage of memorable finishes. As we head into the final month of a historic year for the UFC, we thought we'd rank the most explosive finishes of the past month.
Here are the five best UFC knockouts of November 2022.
#5. Alex Pereira def. Israel Adesanya – UFC 281
As discussed in the introduction, we witnessed the crowning of a new champion in November. In keeping with the theme of fifth-round finishes for title challengers in 2022, Brazilian knockout artist Alex Pereira shocked the MMA world by dethroning one of the longest-reigning champions across combat sports.
In the main event of UFC 281, Pereira finished former kickboxing foe Israel Adesanya via fifth-round TKO to become the new UFC middleweight king, just eight fights into his MMA career.
The moment that the middleweight division got flipped on its head 🤯
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Israel Adesanya was looking to defend his 185-pound strap for a sixth time heading into his championship bout against Alex Pereira. 'Poatan' held two wins over Adesanya from their kickboxing days, including a vicious knockout, which is what made this matchup so intriguing.
Adesanya started the fight well, finishing the opening round strong with a lightning-quick combination that rocked the challenger. Pereira bounced back in the second round, pressuring the champion against the fence and even landing a takedown. 'The Last Stylebender' edged out the next two rounds and was seemingly ahead going into the final frame.
With just three minutes left in the fight, Pereira landed a series of powerful blows with Adesanya up against the fence, and his signature left hook finally found its mark. With the champion clearly compromised, the referee intervened soon after. The bitter rivals will more than likely run it back next year.
Adesanya and Pereira after their bout.
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#4. Matt Frevola def. Ottman Azaitar – UFC 281
After suffering back-to-back defeats to surging lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan and up-and-coming star Terrance McKinney, Matt Frevola bounced back with a win earlier this year.
The New York native returned to winning ways with a knockout victory over Genaro Valdez in January and was looking to extend his win streak at UFC 281. He did so in style as he came away with a brutal first-round knockout victory over the previously undefeated Ottman Azaitar at the last pay-per-view.
THE STEAM ROLLA MATT FREVOLA 👊
@MattFre16 gets the first round KO! #UFC281 https://t.co/N7Za7WkjmE
Interestingly, they were initially scheduled to lock horns back in early 2021, but just hours before their fight, Ottman Azaitar was released from the promotion. 'The Bulldozer' had allegedly broken COVID-19 protocol on Fight Island, compromising the bubble created by the promotion, and was subsequently cut from the roster, only to be re-signed a year later.
In his first fight in over two years, Azaitar was matched up with his last scheduled opponent Matt Frevola, who was an underdog heading into their initial meeting. Frevola handed Azaitar the first loss of his career at UFC 281, catching him with a thunderous right straight to extend his win streak to two.
#3. Polyana Viana def. Jinh Yu Frey – UFC Vegas 64
Since signing with the UFC in 2018, Polyana Viana has struggled with inconsistency. After winning her promotional debut, the Brazilian suffered three losses on the trot. She bounced back with two submission victories but failed to extend her win streak to three with her decision loss to Tabatha Ricci in May.
Eager to return to the win column, Viana squared off against Jinh Yu Frey at UFC Vegas 64.
Expecting an explosive bout in this one 👀
@PolyanaVianaa vs @LittleRoo1Two
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Polyana Viana's boxing looked crisp right from the get-go. Her jab kept Jinh Yu Frey at bay in the opening exchanges and seemingly out of nowhere, Viana unleashed a scorching combination of punches, all of which landed flush. Frey came crashing down to the canvas, prompting the referee to call a halt to the action just 47 seconds into the fight.
Through her turbulent run in the promotion so far, Viana has rounded out her game significantly. With eight submission wins already on her record, her grappling prowess was already potent. With her much-improved striking, 'Dama de Ferro' has emerged as a promising contender in the women's strawweight division.
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#2. Chris Gutierrez def. Frankie Edgar – UFC 281
Chris Gutierrez endured an emotional and bittersweet moment at UFC 281 in the immediate aftermath of his win over MMA legend Frankie Edgar. 'El Guapo' fought on the main card of the stacked pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden and undoubtedly made the most of the opportunity.
Chris Gutierrez stops Frankie Edgar 😳
A perfect knee up the middle ends this one early #UFC281 https://t.co/M5A0A1VKYq
Frankie Edgar made it clear going into the bout that this would be his final outing inside the cage. The former champion was coming off two devastating knockout losses to top bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera, which led to some eyebrows being raised when Edgar was matched up with Chris Gutierrez for his octagon swansong.
Gutierrez was unbeaten in his last seven fights and is among the top up-and-coming 135-pounders on the rise. The fight played out as many expected, with 'El Guapo' making light work of the 41-year-old Edgar.
Gutierrez uncorked a perfectly-timed knee up the middle as Edgar advanced forward, knocking out out the future Hall of Famer just two minutes into the bout. He claimed Edgar's spot in the bantamweight top 15 as a result, ending the fan-favorite's career on a disappointing note.
Frankie Edgar didn't want to go out like that. 😥
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#1. Ryan Spann def. Dominick Reyes – UFC 281
Since his razor-thin championship loss to Jon Jones back in 2020, Dominick Reyes' career has taken a downward spiral. After Jones vacated the light heavyweight strap, Reyes took on Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title and ended up losing via TKO. In his next outing, he was viciously knocked out by Jiri Prochazka, which saw his stock take another massive hit.
Looking to get his career back on track, Reyes locked horns with up-and-coming contender Ryan Spann at UFC 281. Unfortunately, for the former title challenger, he suffered yet another knockout loss.
SUPERMAN STRIKES!! 💥
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Dominick Reyes did everything he could to return to winning ways prior to the bout. He notably shifted training camps and trained alongside Glover Texeira and Alex Pereira for this fight. He even claimed that he worked tirelessly on improving his defense during his 18-month hiatus following the loss to Jiri Prochazka last year.
Nevertheless, it took just 80 seconds for Ryan Spann to knock him out cold. Spann landed a powerful step-in jab, which he turned into a hook at the last moment, which saw Reyes crumble into the canvas. 'Superman' broke into the top 10 of the 205-pound rankings with his win, while Reyes' future remains uncertain.
Ryan Spann knocks out Dominick Reyes (2022)
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