Fares Ziam Grabs The Spotlight
Saturday’s UFC Fight Night brought us another glimpse of the passion and enthusiasm the partisan crowd at the Accor Arena in Paris bring to the table. The French fans turned out in their droves and were rewarded with some moments to remember…not least the jaw-dropping finish to the main card opener between hometown favorite Fares Ziam and Matt Frevola.
Ziam picked up his fourth consecutive victory at 155lbs when he put Frevola’s lights out with a devastating knee…coincidentally, the second consecutive KO loss “The Steamrolla” has suffered at the hands of a French fighter following his KO loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 295 last November.
With that finish fresh in our memories, let’s take a look at some of the most notable knee KOs in UFC history:
JORGE MASVIDAL vs BEN ASKREN
Perhaps the standout when it comes to knee knockouts inside the Octagon. Both fighters had plenty to say to each other in the lead up to their fight at UFC 239 back in 2019, but once the action got under way “Gamebred” sprinted at his opponent and landed the most picture-perfect flying knee we will probably ever see. With the fight ending after just five seconds the knockout has gone down as the fastest in UFC history, and truthfully could have been stopped even quicker had referee Jason Herzog not had to sprint across the Octagon to save Askren from further punishment.
CORY SANDHAGEN vs FRANKIE EDGAR
Cory Sandhagen displayed impressive athleticism when he put Frankie Edgar to sleep with a jumping switch knee during their co-main event match up at the Apex in February of 2021. With Edgar aggressively chasing him down, Sandhagen used his 5-inch height advantage well to time his shot to perfection. While the perennial bantamweight contender has beaten an impressive array of opponents during his UFC tenure, “Sandman’s” 28-second knockout of former 155lb champion Edgar remains the most memorable moment of his career to date.
YOEL ROMERO vs CHRIS WEIDMAN
He never realised his ambition of becoming UFC middleweight champion but Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero’s run through the 185lb division between 2013-2020 served up some spectacular moments, not least his knockout of former champion Chris Weidman at Madison Square Garden back in 2016. Weidman was making his first appearance since losing his belt to Luke Rockhold eleven months earlier and came into this fight as a slight favourite against the much-older Cuban wrestler.
The expertly timed flying knee and follow-up punches Romero dished out in the direction of the “The All American” in the third round are a perfect example of the insane athletic ability he possesses. Indeed, 47-year-old Romero remains active at the highest level of the sport even now, having beaten Thiago Santos on the PFL vs Bellator card in February of this year.
JOSE ALDO vs CHAD MENDES
While we’re on the topic of fighters who have displayed ridiculous longevity throughout their careers, Jose Aldo returns to action at UFC 307 this Saturday! And what better time than now to take a look back at one of his most memorable finishes inside the Octagon: his first-round knee knockout victory over Chad Mendes at UFC 142 way back in 2012.
Inaugural featherweight champion Aldo arrived in the UFC with a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world and was riding a 13-fight win streak ahead of his fight against the previously unbeaten Mendes. All of Aldo’s greatest attributes were on show during the fight as he displayed fast combinations, devastating leg kicks and exceptional takedown defence. Moments before the final bell in the first round, Aldo escaped the bodylock of Mendes against the fence and spun to land a ferocious knee to his opponent’s face and retain his featherweight title.
