30 of the best MMA knockouts of all time [UPDATED AUGUST 2023]
By Amy Kaplan
7. Lyoto Machida crane kicks Randy Couture
From UFC 129 - 2011
Lyoto Machida is one of the most unique strikers in MMA history. This is why.
He fakes a left-footed kick, and then out of nowhere, kicks Couture in the face. That is the definition of getting kicked in the face. It can’t get any more textbook than that. Machida’s foot hits Couture’s face, Couture’s face hits the canvas. It’s that simple.
This knockout was also an example of a changing of the guard in the light heavyweight division. Couture is a former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion in the UFC, but by the time UFC 129 rolled around in 2011, Couture was past his prime. It was time for the Lyoto Machida’s and the Jon Jones’ of the world to take over.
This kick also signifies the ever-developing nature of mixed martial arts. Back in the no rounds, no weight classes days, a kick like this would be rare at best. Machida can hit this kick in his sleep, or at least he used to be able to.