According to Edson Barboza, the most impressive knockout that he’s ever witnessed occurred nearly half-a-decade ago at UFC 70 in Manchester, England.
“I think the knockout from Gabriel “Napao” [Gonzaga] against [Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic]—that kick was the most brutal knockout I’ve ever seen before,” Barboza, 25, recently explained to Bleacher Report.
Not to take anything away from Gonzaga—or Filipovic, for that matter—but many fans of mixed martial arts believe Barboza’s third-round walk off spinning-back kick against Terry Etim at UFC 142 tops the all-time most-impressive knockout list
Barboza, who has been practicing Muay Thai for nearly two decades, says his immaculate knockout strike was simply business as usual.
“I was thinking he was going to defend the spinning-back kick on his body, and then I tried to do it (to) his head,” recounted Barboza, who learned the strike from Anderson Franca. “I was able to do it.”
“I just looked at him and then I stopped fighting. I was happy. I thanked God for the fight.”
Although Barboza’s stunning strike will more than likely go down as one of the most impressive finishes in the sport’s history, the rising-lightweight contender is determined to make sure he won’t be known solely as the man behind UFC 142’s knockout of the night.
“Man, I’m training to get better and better,” Barboza explained. “I know I have tough fighters ahead. That’s why I must train harder and harder.
“I just want to keep fighting and I want to fight against the best fighters in the world.”
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