Rustam Khabilov Really Loves to Knock People Out With Suplexes [VIDEO]

(Props: Kalle Uusitalo via the UG)

Rustam Khabilov‘s UFC debut at the TUF 16 Finale resulted in a first-round knockout of Vinc Pichel; the fight was finished by the last of three suplexes. (Somewhere in Coldwater, Michigan, Dan Severn sheds a single tear.) But as rare as suplex-KOs are in this sport, it wasn’t the first time that the Russian lightweight has pulled it off.

On August 16, 2009, Khabilov faced Akin Duran at an M-1 Challenge event in the Netherlands. The fight lasted all of 28 seconds. Watch as Khabilov takes the center of the ring, corrals Duran into a corner, clinches, then drops Duran directly onto his head with a belly-to-belly suplex, knocking him out immediately. Duran never fought again.

As for Khabilov, he joined Greg Jackson’s team about two years ago, built his record to 14-1, then pulled off one of the most impressive Octagon debuts since these guys. Any ideas on who he should fight next?


(Props: Kalle Uusitalo via the UG)

Rustam Khabilov‘s UFC debut at the TUF 16 Finale resulted in a first-round knockout of Vinc Pichel; the fight was finished by the last of three suplexes. (Somewhere in Coldwater, Michigan, Dan Severn sheds a single tear.) But as rare as suplex-KOs are in this sport, it wasn’t the first time that the Russian lightweight has pulled it off.

On August 16, 2009, Khabilov faced Akin Duran at an M-1 Challenge event in the Netherlands. The fight lasted all of 28 seconds. Watch as Khabilov takes the center of the ring, corrals Duran into a corner, clinches, then drops Duran directly onto his head with a belly-to-belly suplex, knocking him out immediately. Duran never fought again.

As for Khabilov, he joined Greg Jackson’s team about two years ago, built his record to 14-1, then pulled off one of the most impressive Octagon debuts since these guys. Any ideas on who he should fight next?

Justice is Served: Fighter Who Scored TKO After Being Choked Unconscious Has Win Overturned to NC

A few months ago, we ran a story about the above fight between Justin Kristie and David Baxter at Warrior Nation XFA 3, in which Kristie choked Baxter unconscious as the first round buzzer rang only to have Baxter be revived by the ringside physicians and allowed to continue, ultimately resulting in an unbelievable second round TKO win for Baxter. And while the events that transpired were oddly humorous on a surface level (you know, in a David Carradine sort of way), there was no denying that a serious injustice had been carried out before our very eyes.

Well Nation, you will be happy to know that the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission recently overturned Baxter’s victory to a no contest. It’s an unfortunate turn of events for Baxter, but in reality, he should just be thankful that he walked away from the whole ordeal without the loss he deserved. Unfortunately, the referee who allowed this fight to continue was not taken behind a barn and beaten senseless with a mahogany cane, which is the real travesty here.

Do you agree with the athletic commissions call, Potato Nation?

J. Jones

A few months ago, we ran a story about the above fight between Justin Kristie and David Baxter at Warrior Nation XFA 3, in which Kristie choked Baxter unconscious as the first round buzzer rang only to have Baxter be revived by the ringside physicians and allowed to continue, ultimately resulting in an unbelievable second round TKO win for Baxter. And while the events that transpired were oddly humorous on a surface level (you know, in a David Carradine sort of way), there was no denying that a serious injustice had been carried out before our very eyes.

Well Nation, you will be happy to know that the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission recently overturned Baxter’s victory to a no contest. It’s an unfortunate turn of events for Baxter, but in reality, he should just be thankful that he walked away from the whole ordeal without the loss he deserved. Unfortunately, the referee who allowed this fight to continue was not taken behind a barn and beaten senseless with a mahogany cane, which is the real travesty here.

Do you agree with the athletic commissions call, Potato Nation?

J. Jones

In Case You Missed It: Daron Cruickshank’s One-Kick Walk-Off Knockout of Henry Martinez [VIDEO]

(Props: RASTANITRO. Skip to 3:12 for the money shot.)

Though Yves Edwards was awarded UFC on FOX 5‘s official Knockout of the Night bonus for his beatdown of Jeremy Stephens, it was TUF Live contestant Daron “The Detroit Superstar” Cruickshank who produced the most dazzling KO on the prelim broadcast, with his second-round slaying of Henry Martinez. Honestly, that $65,000 should belong to Daron — walk-off knockouts and one-hitter quitters are awesome enough individually, but when they’re combined (with the traditional raising of the arms after the victor realizes what he’s done), the knockout becomes a thing of true beauty.

Cruickshank bumps his official UFC record to 2-0 as a lightweight, including his previous decision win over Chris Tickle. Any ideas on who he should fight next?


(Props: RASTANITRO. Skip to 3:12 for the money shot.)

Though Yves Edwards was awarded UFC on FOX 5‘s official Knockout of the Night bonus for his beatdown of Jeremy Stephens, it was TUF Live contestant Daron “The Detroit Superstar” Cruickshank who produced the most dazzling KO on the prelim broadcast, with his second-round slaying of Henry Martinez. Honestly, that $65,000 should belong to Daron — walk-off knockouts and one-hitter quitters are awesome enough individually, but when they’re combined (with the traditional raising of the arms after the victor realizes what he’s done), the knockout becomes a thing of true beauty.

Cruickshank bumps his official UFC record to 2-0 as a lightweight, including his previous decision win over Chris Tickle. Any ideas on who he should fight next?

Hey, Did You Hear the One About the Polish Double Head-Butt Knockout? [VIDEO]

(Marcin Mencel vs. Mateusz Zawadzki at MMA Night of Champions on 10/27/12. Video props: MMANewsPL via MiddleEasy)

Okay, so maybe it’s not as funny as some of these, but I still LOL’d at the part where both guys were being stretchered out of the ring and the DJ decides to blast “We Are the Champions” in the arena. These Poles, they love their irony.

Previously: WTF?! Video of the Day: Double KO via Faulty Cage Door


(Marcin Mencel vs. Mateusz Zawadzki at MMA Night of Champions on 10/27/12. Video props: MMANewsPL via MiddleEasy)

Okay, so maybe it’s not as funny as some of these, but I still LOL’d at the part where both guys were being stretchered out of the ring and the DJ decides to blast “We Are the Champions” in the arena. These Poles, they love their irony.

Previously: WTF?! Video of the Day: Double KO via Faulty Cage Door

Knockout of the Day: Unlucky Brazilian Gets Front-Kick KO’d, Then Flying Knee KO’d [GIF]


(Props: caposa on the UG)

This gif comes to us from Saturday’s Jungle Fight event in Sao Paulo, where Nova Uniao product Ari Santos made short work of opponent Robert Fonseca, finishing him in just 63 seconds. Anytime the Seagal Kick is landed in MMA competition, it’s worth mentioning — but Santos picks up mad style points by dazing Fonseca with a front kick, then lowering the boom with a jaw-crumbling flying knee. Ari Santos, you are officially on our radar!

If you’re interested in seeing a very crappy, TV-shot version of the complete fight, we got you covered after the jump.


(Props: caposa on the UG)

This gif comes to us from Saturday’s Jungle Fight event in Sao Paulo, where Nova Uniao product Ari Santos made short work of opponent Robert Fonseca, finishing him in just 63 seconds. Anytime the Seagal Kick is landed in MMA competition, it’s worth mentioning — but Santos picks up mad style points by dazing Fonseca with a front kick, then lowering the boom with a jaw-crumbling flying knee. Ari Santos, you are officially on our radar!

If you’re interested in seeing a very crappy, TV-shot version of the complete fight, we got you covered after the jump.


(Knockout sequence begins at 6:08. Props: rodrigo araujo)

Classic Fight: The Old Vitor Belfort Destroys Tank Abbott at UFC 13

(Phenom vs. Tank, 5/30/97. Props: UFCVitorVBelfort)

In their continuing efforts to convince you that Vitor Belfort has at least a puncher’s chance against Jon Jones at UFC 152, the UFC has just made the Vitor Belfort vs. Tank Abbott fight from UFC 13 available on YouTube. Just 20 years old at the time, Belfort had made his Octagon debut three months prior at UFC 12, winning the four-man heavyweight bracket in a combined fight time of two minutes. Belfort’s subsequent “superfight” against Abbott — still a somewhat legitimate competitor back then — turned out to be another blitzkrieg. In just 52 seconds, it was all over.

But even more so than the overwhelming striking performance from the Phenom, I think my favorite part of this video is 3:30-3:41, where Belfort calls out for his beloved trainer “Stankie,” and we get a glimpse at a younger (but still pretty old) Al Stankiewicz. Then, we see that Stankie’s hands are wrapped as if he was going to fight that night. Classic.

In a related story, betting odds for Jones vs. Belfort have calmed down somewhat, and the champ is being offered as low as -740. You can also turn $100 into $12,000 if you bet that the fight will be a draw, and the fight actually turns out to be a draw. I’m just saying. What were going to do with that $100 anyway, you know?


(Phenom vs. Tank, 5/30/97. Props: UFCVitorVBelfort)

In their continuing efforts to convince you that Vitor Belfort has at least a puncher’s chance against Jon Jones at UFC 152, the UFC has just made the Vitor Belfort vs. Tank Abbott fight from UFC 13 available on YouTube. Just 20 years old at the time, Belfort had made his Octagon debut three months prior at UFC 12, winning the four-man heavyweight bracket in a combined fight time of two minutes. Belfort’s subsequent “superfight” against Abbott — still a somewhat legitimate competitor back then — turned out to be another blitzkrieg. In just 52 seconds, it was all over.

But even more so than the overwhelming striking performance from the Phenom, I think my favorite part of this video is 3:30-3:41, where Belfort calls out for his beloved trainer “Stankie,” and we get a glimpse at a younger (but still pretty old) Al Stankiewicz. Then, we see that Stankie’s hands are wrapped as if he was going to fight that night. Classic.

In a related story, betting odds for Jones vs. Belfort have calmed down somewhat, and the champ is being offered as low as -740. You can also turn $100 into $12,000 if you bet that the fight will be a draw, and the fight actually turns out to be a draw. I’m just saying. What were going to do with that $100 anyway, you know?