UFC 193 had one of the most shocking results of any sporting event this year, and the photo that captured the moment was selected by TIME as one of its top 100 photos of 2015.
It was the head kick heard around the world. Holly Holm connected with the high kick and dropped Ronda Rousey before finishing her off the on the ground. Paul Crock of AFP and Getty Images snapped the photo TIME selected for its year-end list.
The list was compiled by the TIME photo editors.
Noted MMA photographer Esther Lin, of All Elbows and MMA Fighting, grabbed a nearly identical photo of the moment that went viral in the wake of the finish.
Both photographers captured the moment we will never forget not only as MMA fans, but as sports fans.
TIME‘s selection of Crock’s photo puts into perspective how big this moment was for sports in 2015. In past years, MMA has had a number of iconic photos—perhaps none more so than James Law’s amazing photo of Anderson Silva’s front kick landing flush on Vitor Belfort at UFC 126. But Law’s photo did not get this level of recognition because it was not on a similar stage.
Rousey’s star power helped draw the eyes of the world to Melbourne, Australia, on that night, and Holm’s incredible upset knockout performance helped keep fans and media talking for days and days. The selection by TIME just adds to the lore of the fight.
UFC 193 will go down in history, and Holm’s KO is the reason why. She stopped the unstoppable in shocking fashion. Even in MMA, with so many amazing moments, it is a rare feat to capture the attention and imagination of the world.
As talk of a rematch continues moving forward, you can be sure that you will continually see what is now one of TIME’s top 100 photos of 2015 on your screens for the foreseeable future.
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