(Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Francisco Bueno @ PRIDE 8, 11/21/99. Josh Barnett makes the tree-analogy at the 0:41 mark.)
Edson Barboza‘s spinning heel-kick knockout of Terry Etim at UFC 142 wasn’t just an instant-classic because of the technique itself — it was also unforgettable because of the devastating effect it had on Etim, who stiffened up and toppled straight to the mat in slow motion like a felled spruce. The “falling tree” knockout is a rare, brutal moment in combat sports that always gets a rise out of fans. Here are nine of our favorite examples from MMA fights, in no particular order.
(Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim @ UFC 142, 1/14/12)
(Ray Mercer vs. Tim Sylvia @ Adrenaline MMA 3: Bragging Rights, 6/13/09)
(Rory Markham vs. Brodie Farber @ UFC Fight Night 14, 7/19/08)
(Hayato Sakurai vs. Olaf Alfonso @ PRIDE Bushido Survival 2006, 6/4/06)
(Rashad Evans vs. Sean Salmon @ UFC Fight Night 8, 1/25/07)
(Brad Kohler vs. Steve Judson @ UFC 22, 9/24/99)
(Dan Hornbuckle vs. Akihiro Gono @ Sengoku 9, 8/2/09)
(Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Ricardo Morais @ PRIDE Bushido 6, 4/3/05)
(Honorable mention: Buakaw Por Pramuk vs. actual tree)
Did we leave out any good ones? Let us know in the comments section…