Anderson Silva’s Front Kick of Doom and 6 of the Best Kicks in MMA/UFC History

There’s something almost universal about an epic KO. Fans of Mixed Martial Arts like the sport for many reasons, reasons that sometimes divide them into groups: those that prefer the ground game over striking, those that prefer Japanese MMA rules…

There’s something almost universal about an epic KO. Fans of Mixed Martial Arts like the sport for many reasons, reasons that sometimes divide them into groups: those that prefer the ground game over striking, those that prefer Japanese MMA rules as opposed to America’s Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, etc.

Occasionally, those groups argue with each other. But if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s this: there’s almost nothing quite as amazing as an awesome KO.

And at least in my opinion, it’s tougher to knock someone out with a kick than with a single punch or even a barrage of punches. A perfect KO kick requires exact balance, precise timing, and deadly power.

So, with that in mind, I’d like to present six of my favorite kicks from all around the MMA world: from the Ultimate Fighting Championship to PRIDE Fighting Championships to World Extreme Cagefighting to DREAM. Let’s get started.

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Gray Maynard Talks UFC 130 Withdrawal, Anthony Pettis and More

Filed under: UFCIn a way, Gray Maynard has some cause to be thankful that UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar pulled out of their scheduled title fight at UFC 130 this weekend.

Though Maynard told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour …

Filed under:

In a way, Gray Maynard has some cause to be thankful that UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar pulled out of their scheduled title fight at UFC 130 this weekend.

Though Maynard told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour that he would have been healthy enough to show up on fight night if Edgar hadn’t withdrawn with an injury first, the delay did give him the opportunity to address some lingering injury issues of his own.

“[It was] just some old stuff that I’ve been kind of going through for the last couple camps,” Maynard said. “I was like, well, this is for a title so I got to push through it. …Then Edgar pulled out and it was an opportunity to heal up, and I took that opportunity.”

For Maynard, that meant having arthroscopic surgery on his knee and giving his body some time to recover after several tough training camps had taken their toll. It also means most likely putting off his next shot at UFC gold until late summer or early fall, though Maynard said he would have toughed it out and fought this weekend if Edgar was still game.

“I would have had to,” he said. “It’s kind of like, if you’re going for the belt, you don’t pull out of a fight.”

You especially don’t pull out of a fight that was already nearly snatched away from you once. After fighting to a draw with Edgar at UFC 125 in January, Maynard was dismayed to hear UFC president Dana White announce that Edgar would move on with other title defenses, leaving Maynard behind despite the inconclusive result.

“I’m in this sport for one reason, and that’s to be at the top,” Maynard said. “The cash, all that stuff, it’s cool, but that’s not why I’m doing it. I’m not in it for that. I’m going to be the best. I want to be the best. I heard that, and you just don’t know what will happen. Will I have a chance again? If I do, it’ll take a long time. How am I going to change up things? You’ve just got all these emotions, and it’s hard to deal with. All your dreams and your goals, it could be gone.”

At least, that’s what he thought until White called to tell Maynard he’d had a change of heart.

“He called me and I was in my hotel room. I was just, you know, I didn’t know what I was going to do. And he called me and he said, ‘It’s f–king yours, kid.’ I think I almost cried, probably. I think I told him I loved him and it went quiet for a minute. Then he was like, ‘Well alright, get to work.'”

And while Maynard said he wasn’t aware of any offer to fight Anthony Pettis after Edgar’s injury withdrawal, he did elaborate on some of the headline-grabbing comments he made about the last reigning WEC lightweight champ.

In a previous interview Maynard had questioned Pettis’ credentials, suggesting that he hadn’t faced enough high-level competition to deserve a shot at a top UFC contender. Though it surprised some to hear the usually reserved Maynard speak so strongly about a fellow fighter, Maynard hardly seemed to realize that it was noteworthy at all.

“I don’t keep up with the news that much, and I remember I was doing probably like three or four interviews. Every interviewer, obviously trying to get things going, was like, ‘Well Anthony, he says that you don’t deserve the title.’ I thought, well, if we’re giving opinions here, then here’s my opinion. … I think Anthony’s a tough kid. He’s young. As for who he’s gone up against, a couple tough guys, but nobody proven, I guess.”

But don’t expect Maynard to make a habit of trash-talking other fighters or, for that matter, trying to get himself noticed on the internet. Even though the UFC is now offering financial incentives for fighters who master Twitter, Maynard remains a mostly passive user for the same reasons that he’s typically soft-spoken in interviews.

“You got everybody trying so hard to get out there, and I don’t know if it’s my attitude, but I don’t really give a f–k. …I’m just me, and that’s not me. These guys are acting like, I don’t know, you’re a gimmick. Do you want to be that or is it you? I don’t know. It’s a gimmick, I think, and it’s not me.”

As for the people – and there are plenty of them – who tell him he should adopt a more vibrant or controversial persona to hype fights? Well, let’s just say they’re probably wasting their breath on Maynard.

“98 percent of the people I talk to are like, ‘Man, you got to build this fight up. You got to do this.’ If the guy’s an a–hole then I’ll tell him he’s an a–hole. But if he’s not, then there’s nothing to talk about.”

 

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Anthony Pettis Says Gray Maynard Might Be Jealous

… In response to some statements Gray Maynard said about not being too impressed by Anthony Pettis and that save for Ben Henderson, he’s only fought scrubs, Pettis told HeavyMMA: “I feel bad for the.

Anthony-Pettis-Vs-Benson-Henderson1-300x225

In response to some statements Gray Maynard said about not being too impressed by Anthony Pettis and that save for Ben Henderson, he’s only fought scrubs, Pettis told HeavyMMA:

“I feel bad for the guys in the WEC. He’s downgrading all of the WEC fighters, which are doing very well in the WEC,” said Pettis. “If I’m fighting scrubs, his peers are getting beat by the scrubs I’ve been fighting. I feel that he might a little jealous of my level of success so fast. I’m probably the most famous UFC fighter that hasn’t fought in the UFC yet.”

Maynard is not known for trash-talking but it looks like the lines have been drawn for a good ol’ rivalry between the two Lightweights. Pettis faces Clay Guida this June 4th at the TUF 13 Finale.

UFC News: Anthony Pettis Talks Gray Maynard, His Bout with Clay Guida

Since both Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard sustained injuries, ultimately forcing them off of UFC 130, UFC lightweight Anthony “Showtime” Pettis finds himself in limbo.While promised a title shot at the winner of their second encounter, Pettis was focus…

Since both Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard sustained injuries, ultimately forcing them off of UFC 130, UFC lightweight Anthony “Showtime” Pettis finds himself in limbo.

While promised a title shot at the winner of their second encounter, Pettis was focused, and in fact sat cage-side to get a better perspective on Edgar and Maynard at UFC 125. Unfortunately for him, the result ended in a draw. 

And now that another setback has hit the former WEC lightweight champion and he said it not only messes up his plans but the lightweight division as well.

“It kinda sucks,” Pettis said in an interview with Heavy.com.

“It kinda puts the whole lightweight (division) on a stand. I was in line for a title shot after Clay Guida, I mean I’m definitely focused on Guida, but the whole lightweight division is just kinda stuck right now.”

And for the next little while, the division will have to remain patient as challengers, like Pettis, will have to watch Maynard and Edgar battle for a third time at some point later this year.

And although a lightweight title will have to take a little longer for Pettis to earn, he hasn’t ruled out another bout after Guida in order to prepare himself for either competitor.

“I haven’t looked past Clay yet. I guess after Clay we’ll figure out what’s gonna happen, but I mean, potentially that’s definitely possibility,” he said.

And after Maynard recently expressed his disinterest in Pettis, a bout between the two lightweights could happen some time in the future. Maynard said in a recent interview that he wasn’t impressed with Pettis’ style or the competitors he fought in the WEC, in response Pettis said Maynard is just envious towards him.

“I feel that he might be a little jealous of my level of success so fast, I am probably the most popular UFC fighter that hasn’t fought in the UFC yet,” Pettis said. 

Pettis will compete against Clay Guida at The Ultimate Finale 13 on June 4, live from from Las Vegas Nevada.  

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UFC 130: Gray Maynard Was Set to Fight Anthony "Showtime" Pettis Prior to Injury

More information continues to swirl surrounding the now removed main event for UFC 130 between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. Heavy MMA’s Jeremy Botter is reporting that former WEC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis was …

More information continues to swirl surrounding the now removed main event for UFC 130 between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.

Heavy MMA’s Jeremy Botter is reporting that former WEC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis was set to replace Frankie Edgar and fight Gray Maynard in the main event later this month.

The organization contacted him just a few days ago and asked him if he would like to headline the event.

“They were going to have me fight Maynard on that card,” Pettis revealed. “I said yes to that deal right away.”

But today, we now hear that Maynard himself suffered an undisclosed knee injury, which will knock him out of the event as well.

“I guess it turns out that it’s not going to happen. I’m back to fighting [Clay] Guida,” Pettis conceded. “It sucks that he got injured, because it kinda puts the whole lightweight division back on standstill.”

The news is unfortunate and really puts a damper on what was otherwise set to be another outstanding UFC pay-per-view event. With Edgar vs. Maynard now off the card, the UFC has promoted Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s fight against Matt Hamill as the new main event.

Meanwhile, “Showtime” will return to training as he prepares for the fight he was originally scheduled for, against Clay Guida on June 4.

“For three or four days I thought I was going to fight on May 28 and now it’s just killing me, so I’m going to take it out on Clay Guida.”

No guarantee has been made, but it is expected that the winner of Pettis vs. Guida will be the next man in line for a shot at the UFC lightweight championship.

UFC 130 Edgar vs. Maynard: Fight Card, News, Predictions, Results and More!

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Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard Both Suffer Injuries, UFC 130 Meeting Is Canceled [UPDATED]

Gray Maynard Frankie Edgar UFC 125 MMA photos

UFC.com has confirmed that UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and #1 contender Gray Maynard have both suffered injuries in their training camps, and will not be able to face each other in their scheduled main event trilogy fight at UFC 130 (May 28th, Las Vegas). According to MMAFighting’s sources, Edgar picked up two broken ribs, while Maynard suffered a knee injury — especially unfortunate, considering that the UFC is planning to cover these sorts of injuries starting next month.

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is now officially the main event of UFC 130. (Yeah, we know.) UPDATE: Edgar and Maynard will likely be out for 6-8 weeks, and could be re-booked for August or September. But check this out: According to Heavy.com, Edgar pulled out first, and Maynard was going to remain on the card against another top lightweight who he doesn’t seem to have a very high opinion of

Gray Maynard Frankie Edgar UFC 125 MMA photos

UFC.com has confirmed that UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and #1 contender Gray Maynard have both suffered injuries in their training camps, and will not be able to face each other in their scheduled main event trilogy fight at UFC 130 (May 28th, Las Vegas). According to MMAFighting’s sources, Edgar picked up two broken ribs, while Maynard suffered a knee injury — especially unfortunate, considering that the UFC is planning to cover these sorts of injuries starting next month.

Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill is now officially the main event of UFC 130. (Yeah, we know.) UPDATE: Edgar and Maynard will likely be out for 6-8 weeks, and could be re-booked for August or September. But check this out: According to Heavy.com, Edgar pulled out first, and Maynard was going to remain on the card against another top lightweight who he doesn’t seem to have a very high opinion of

As the story goes, the UFC contacted Anthony Pettis last week asking if he wanted to face Gray Maynard in the main event of UFC 130, and Pettis jumped at the opportunity.

They were going to have me fight Maynard on that card. I said yes to that deal right away. I guess it turns out that it’s not going to happen. I’m back to fighting Guida,” Pettis told HeavyMMA.com. “It sucks that he got injured, because it kinda puts the whole lightweight division back on standstill…For three or four days I thought I was going to fight on May 28 and now it’s just killing me, so I’m going to take it out on Clay Guida.”

Pettis and Guida will square off at the TUF 13 Finale on June 4th.