UFC knockout last night: Reliving all the highlight-reel KOs from UFC 260: Miocic vs Ngannou
UFC 260 was an eventful night that concluded with the crowning of a new heavyweight champion in Francis Ngannou.
A new era in the heavyweight division has arrived with rising stars Sean O'Malley and Miranda Maverick also making their presence felt. The event took fans on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Stipe Miocic might fought their last fight in the Octagon in the event.
Before moving on from this historic event, relive the most exciting highlights of the night. Here are four breath-taking knockouts from UFC 260: Miocic vs Ngannou II:
Marc-André Barriault TKOs Abu Azaitar
Marc-Andre Barriault kicked UFC 260 off the early prelims card with a brutal knockout of veteran Abu Azitar. The victory marked Marc-Andre Barriault's promotional debut.
Azitar took the opening round as he pushed forward to control the pace of the fight. In round two, Barriault started to land combinations with his opponent having seemingly emptied his gas tank in the previous round.
The Canadian eventually sealed the win in the third when he successfully took Azitar to the ground and rained down strikes on him. Referee Jerin Valel called the stoppage with merely four seconds left in the fight.
Jamie Mullarkey surprises Khama Worthy
Tasked with kicking off the main card, Australian Jamie Mullarkey did not disappoint as he delivered a highlight. Coming off two straight losses, Jamie Mullarkey knew he had to win and do so convincingly. And that's exactly what he did.
Jamie Mullarkey re-entered the winning column by scoring a spectacular knockout of Khama Worthy. The 26-year-old New South Wales-native connected with a powerful left hand that sent his opponent crashing face first on to the canvas.
“It feels unbelievable. We worked so hard for this fight. I’m glad I just got to showcase my skills. It just wasn’t meant to be the last time," said Jamie Mullarkey during the post-fight interview.
Sean O'Malley's walk-off against Thomas Almeida
Sean O'Malley's ascent to superstardom was unceremoniously derailed when he lost to Marlon Vera in a bizarre turn of events. Hungry for redemption, 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley restarted the engine of his hype train when he turned in a picture-perfect performance.
In round one, Sean O'Malley dropped Thomas Almeida with a devastating head kick but chose to walk off instead of finishing his opponent. Because of that error from Sean O'Malley, Thomas Almeida was able to survive the UFC 260 bout – for a few more minutes.
Sean O'Malley finally got the highlight he was coveting in the final round. The rising star sent Almeida crashing to the ground with a brutal left hand and finished him off with a final blow to his downed opponent.
Francis Ngannou slays Stipe Miocic
Francis Ngannou is no mug in the art of putting people to sleep. Ngannou's knockout victory at UFC 260 over Stipe Miocic, however, is by far the most important one in his UFC career.
In the second round, Francis Ngannou usurped the heavyweight throne when he landed a massive left hook that drained the consciousness out of Stipe Miocic's body. The Cameroonian star then blasted the motionless Miocic with a hammer fist, for good measure.
The victory solidified Francis Ngannou's status as the best heavyweight in the sport today. Francis Ngannou also displayed how much he has grown as a fighter when he successfully defended Stipe Miocic's takedown attempts.
After the fight, Francis Ngannou stated that he's excited to get home and celebrate with his compatriots and loved ones.
"Today, this is not just for me. This is for all of us. For people that put their hand on the dirt and believed in this, people from around the world, for my fans, for everyone who believed it, because that's very important."