Junior dos Santos unleashed a strike rarely seen from heavyweights at UFC 160, and it ended up paying off in the form of a knockout win over Mark Hunt. With that finish, Dos Santos also instantly joined the 2013 Knockout of the Year discussion.
May was a big month for spinning heel kicks, as Vitor Belfort also pulled off the technique against former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold. In doing so, Belfort put himself in position for a potential rematch with middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva.
With two new spectacular stoppages added to the list for 2013, it’s time to take another look at the race for Knockout of the Year. Here are the top five contenders for the award.