A 20-year-old featherweight from Singapore named Amir Khan scored an impressive win in his professional debut earlier today, when he TKO’d Malaysian journeyman Jian Kai Chee midway through the first round of their fight at at ONE FC 20. And while we don’t usually report on obscure international fights, Khan is special: He suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, as evidenced by a prominent tic in which he frequently turns his face to the side, and appears to be vocalizing through the fight.
What’s interesting to me is how Khan doesn’t display the tic whenever he’s storming on Chee with strikes. It kind of reminded me of that scene in The King’s Speech where King George VI realizes that he doesn’t stammer while cursing. (Hot take: Punching people cures Tourette’s.) Anyway, I thought it was worth sharing.
A 20-year-old featherweight from Singapore named Amir Khan scored an impressive win in his professional debut earlier today, when he TKO’d Malaysian journeyman Jian Kai Chee midway through the first round of their fight at at ONE FC 20. And while we don’t usually report on obscure international fights, Khan is special: He suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, as evidenced by a prominent tic in which he frequently turns his face to the side, and appears to be vocalizing through the fight.
What’s interesting to me is how Khan doesn’t display the tic whenever he’s storming on Chee with strikes. It kind of reminded me of that scene in The King’s Speech where King George VI realizes that he doesn’t stammer while cursing. (Hot take: Punching people cures Tourette’s.) Anyway, I thought it was worth sharing.
Hermes Franca returned to MMA competition last Thursday at Extreme Fighter: Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil, and was smashed in 34 seconds by Marcio Breno. Franca looked rusty for a reason; the former WEC lightweight champion and UFC title contender hadn’t competed in over three years, due to his prison stint for sexually abusing an underage jiu-jitsu student, and his subsequent deportation back to Brazil.
If you’re into karmic justice, watch the video above. Franca swings some decent leg kicks early, but Breno drops him with a right cross at the video’s 1:47 mark and bounces his head off the canvas a few times with shots from above, causing the ref to jump in. Eventually, Franca makes it back to his feet and the crowd chants something at the 2:20-2:32 mark. (Are they saying “Hermes”? And if so, are they doing it sarcastically? I can’t tell.)
Releated thought:This list from 2008 has become woefully outdated in the year 2014. Most of those guys would be off the list due to inactivity. New version to come soon…
Hermes Franca returned to MMA competition last Thursday at Extreme Fighter: Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil, and was smashed in 34 seconds by Marcio Breno. Franca looked rusty for a reason; the former WEC lightweight champion and UFC title contender hadn’t competed in over three years, due to his prison stint for sexually abusing an underage jiu-jitsu student, and his subsequent deportation back to Brazil.
If you’re into karmic justice, watch the video above. Franca swings some decent leg kicks early, but Breno drops him with a right cross at the video’s 1:47 mark and bounces his head off the canvas a few times with shots from above, causing the ref to jump in. Eventually, Franca makes it back to his feet and the crowd chants something at the 2:20-2:32 mark. (Are they saying “Hermes”? And if so, are they doing it sarcastically? I can’t tell.)
Releated thought:This list from 2008 has become woefully outdated in the year 2014. Most of those guys would be off the list due to inactivity. New version to come soon…
On Saturday night at XFS Tidal Wave in Valley Center, California, strawweight prospect Christine Stanley scored the greatest knockout we’ve seen all year, and arguably the most impressive knockout in women’s MMA history. Basically, what Stanley did to opponent Katie Anita Runyan was like Uriah Hall vs. Adam Cella, but in mid-air, and with the very first strike she threw.
Stanley’s jumping spinning hook-kick KO was officially recorded at five seconds, though it seemed closer to four by our count. At any rate, it’s amazing, and you should watch it immediately. Special appearance by The Great One!
On Saturday night at XFS Tidal Wave in Valley Center, California, strawweight prospect Christine Stanley scored the greatest knockout we’ve seen all year, and arguably the most impressive knockout in women’s MMA history. Basically, what Stanley did to opponent Katie Anita Runyan was like Uriah Hall vs. Adam Cella, but in mid-air, and with the very first strike she threw.
Stanley’s jumping spinning hook-kick KO was officially recorded at five seconds, though it seemed closer to four by our count. At any rate, it’s amazing, and you should watch it immediately. Special appearance by The Great One!
With six consecutive first-round submission victories to her name in amateur and pro competition (five via armbar), featherweight prospect Marina Shafir was expected to cruise through Amanda Bell during their match at Chaos at the Casino 5, Sunday night in Inglewood, California. Instead, the fight turned out to be the latest blow for Ronda Rousey‘s “Four Horsewomen” stable, as Bell knocked Shaffir out in just 37 seconds. Video of the finish is above.
Bell came into the fight with a pro record of 1-2, but had previously TKO’d Jessamyn Duke during an amateur bout in 2011, making her the only fighter to hold wins over two of the Horsewomen. (Is that an impressive stat? Not really. But Bethe Correia has the opportunity to match it when she faces Shayna Baszler at UFC 177 on August 30th.) Anyway…
With six consecutive first-round submission victories to her name in amateur and pro competition (five via armbar), featherweight prospect Marina Shafir was expected to cruise through Amanda Bell during their match at Chaos at the Casino 5, Sunday night in Inglewood, California. Instead, the fight turned out to be the latest blow for Ronda Rousey‘s “Four Horsewomen” stable, as Bell knocked Shaffir out in just 37 seconds. Video of the finish is above.
Bell came into the fight with a pro record of 1-2, but had previously TKO’d Jessamyn Duke during an amateur bout in 2011, making her the only fighter to hold wins over two of the Horsewomen. (Is that an impressive stat? Not really. But Bethe Correia has the opportunity to match it when she faces Shayna Baszler at UFC 177 on August 30th.) Anyway…
Three months ago, a fighter named Mike Garrett — or maybe Mike Garret, with one T, although neither name shows up on the Sherdog or MixedMartialArts.com databases — scored a “one-second knockout” for a “world record” that we sort of called bullshit on. Garrett/Garret was back in action at Warrior Challenge 15 in London on Friday, where he KO’d Jimi Animashaun in “3.5 seconds.” (Four seconds, officially.) Watch it above and note the following:
– Garrett starts celebrating before Animashaun even completes his descent to the mat, which is badass, but only adds to our uneasy feeling that these knockouts will eventually be exposed as a publicity stunt.
– “One ahfta de uvva…WAOW.” Love these British commentators.
– I also love how Animashaun is referred to as the “runner-up” in this fight. There are no losers at Warrior Challenge. That’s adorable.
– If you think that insane, half-coherent promoter Dave O’Donnell won’t be handling the post-fight interview, dressed like a mid-level crime boss from a Guy Ritchie film, then brother, you are dead wrong. O’Donnell seems like the kind of dude who would angrily accuse you of “taking the piss” while an expressionless Vinnie Jones stands behind him, holding a pitbull on a chain.
Three months ago, a fighter named Mike Garrett — or maybe Mike Garret, with one T, although neither name shows up on the Sherdog or MixedMartialArts.com databases — scored a “one-second knockout” for a “world record” that we sort of called bullshit on. Garrett/Garret was back in action at Warrior Challenge 15 in London on Friday, where he KO’d Jimi Animashaun in “3.5 seconds.” (Four seconds, officially.) Watch it above and note the following:
– Garrett starts celebrating before Animashaun even completes his descent to the mat, which is badass, but only adds to our uneasy feeling that these knockouts will eventually be exposed as a publicity stunt.
– “One ahfta de uvva…WAOW.” Love these British commentators.
– I also love how Animashaun is referred to as the “runner-up” in this fight. There are no losers at Warrior Challenge. That’s adorable.
– If you think that insane, half-coherent promoter Dave O’Donnell won’t be handling the post-fight interview, dressed like a mid-level crime boss from a Guy Ritchie film, then brother, you are dead wrong. O’Donnell seems like the kind of dude who would angrily accuse you of “taking the piss” while an expressionless Vinnie Jones stands behind him, holding a pitbull on a chain.
Two weeks after Chris Beal gave us a spectacular walk-off flying knee knockout in the UFC, Bellator middleweight Brian Rogers landed one of his own against Adrian Miles, during the prelims of last night’s Bellator 119 event in Rama, Ontario, Canada. The way Miles crumples in a Nelmark-esque heap is pretty gnarly — especially because his eyes remain open when he’s out. Yeesh.
This was actually Rogers’s third career victory via flying knee. You can see his previous two after the jump…
Two weeks after Chris Beal gave us a spectacular walk-off flying knee knockout in the UFC, Bellator middleweight Brian Rogers landed one of his own against Adrian Miles, during the prelims of last night’s Bellator 119 event in Rama, Ontario, Canada. The way Miles crumples in a Nelmark-esque heap is pretty gnarly — especially because his eyes remain open when he’s out. Yeesh.
This was actually Rogers’s third career victory via flying knee. You can see his previous two after the jump…
(Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna, Bellator 61, 3/16/12)
(Brian Rogers vs. Dan Bolden, NAAFS: North Coast Showdown 4, 10/24/09)
