Top 5 first-round knock-outs in the UFC
The octagon is a diabolical playground, where fortunes change in a split-second. No matter how tough you are and how much you’re prepared for a fight, a wrong move can indeed spell doom, giving you zilch chances at redemption.
There have been numerous occasions in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where even the most equally poised fights have failed to go the distance, courtesy a slip-up, allowing the other to take full advantage.
From Aldo’s pounding of Chad Mendes to the "fastest victory in UFC title fight history" here are the top 5 first-round knockouts in the competition:
#1 Anderson Silva against Chris Leben
A very cocky Chris Leben had predicted a KO victory in one of his pre-match interviews, going into Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night 5. Well, if you’re nicknamed “The Crippler” and your highfalutin record inside the octagon warrants for it, people do take your claims seriously.
In addition to that, Leben had an undefeated UFC streak, leaving no doubts in the minds of the bookmakers, that he would emerge victorious.
However, the outcome of the result was much to his dismay. Challenging him was none other than Anderson Silva, who at that point in time, was still a relatively unheard of figure in the United States, despite having an impressive record of 17-4 to his name.
The fight began with Silva doing his trademark Muhammad Ali-esque prance. Having a definitive reach advantage, he was the aggressor right from the word ‘go’. 30 seconds into the fight, a combination punch by Silva took Leben down.
Leben recovered from the initial onslaught but moments later was exposed to a flurry of punches and a knee to the head, which ultimately put him to sleep. This fight would mark Silva’s ingress in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, cementing his reputation as one of the fiercest counter-strikers, in the years to follow.