MMA DieHards Awards: Knockouts of the year

(The MMA DieHards staff has compiled a list of the best fighter of the year, fight of the year, KO of the year, submission of the year and breakthrough fighter of the year to close out 2011.)

Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards at UFC 131
Stout’s one-punch knockout over Edwards will be on highlight reels for years to come.

Midway through the opening frame, Stout exhibited Team Tompkins technique and planted a right hand on Edwards’ midsection, followed by an overhand left that shut the Bahamian’s lights out.  Edwards was unconscious before he hit the canvas and Stout displayed great sportsmanship by halting his onslaught.

Stout admitted at the post-fight press conference that he knew Edwards was out and he could not brutalize a man who gave the Canadian a cookie at the weigh-ins prior to the event.

Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126
The two knockout artists met in a middleweight title match, but only one remained standing.

Silva spent the first bit of the round feeling out Belfort, as he usually does, and then bam- a front-kick to the face.  Silva didn’t even set the kick up with punches, using the element of surprise as his left foot snapped Belfort’s head back, sending him to the floor.  Silva pounced on Belfort, landing two more punches, and then referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight.

Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture at UFC 129
It was “The Natural’s” farewell fight, but Machida made it memorable.

The bout was fairly equal through the first round, and then Machida took a page out of The Karate Kid.  The former UFC light heavyweight champion squared up with Couture in the center of the Octagon, faked a left kick and executed a jumping right front-kick.  The kick was so devastating it silenced UFC commentator Joe Rogan and baffled spectators.

Machida retired Couture that night, not only knocking “The Natural” out, but also a tooth.

Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick at UFC 140
Seven seconds is all it took for this bout to be finalized.

Jung shocked everybody when he knocked out the Canadian striker at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.  Hominick came out his corner and in rare fashion abandoned technique and threw a wild punch at the “Korean Zombie”.  Jung avoided the strike, planted his feet and cracked Hominick on the jaw.  The Tompkins trained fighter crumpled to the ground and Jung landed a few more punches to close out the bout in just seven seconds.

John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson at UFC 129
Makdessi was not about to let this one go to the judges’ scorecards.

In a grueling bout that headed into Round 3, Makdessi threw a lightning fast spinning back-fist that landed flush on Watsons chin.  The impact was so forceful there was no need for Makdessi to continue hitting his opponent.  Watson’s knees gave out and he hit the canvas lifeless.

Makdessi was upstaged by Machida later in the night, but the knockout still stands as one of the finest 2011 had to offer.