With another year almost in the books, it is time for The MMA Manifesto to hand out its Best of 2009 awards. Next up – Knockout of the Year.
Every sport has its signature play – the moment that makes the crowd “ooh and aah” and ends up on a continuous loop on that evening’s sports highlight package shows. Baseballs has the home run. Basketball has the slam dunk. And MMA has the knockout. Say what you will about the aesthetic value of a good fight on the mat or of a slick submission, but deep down inside what we all want to see – both the hardcore fans of the sport and the average guy off the street – is a devastating knockout.
2009 wasn’t short on knockouts to choose from, which made the decision for The MMA Manifesto’s Knockout of the Year a very difficult one. The eventual winner was Lyoto Machida’s knockout of Rashad Evans at UFC 98. In making the previously unbeaten Evans see stars and taking his light heavyweight title belt, Machida added to his growing legend and thrust his name into the discussion of the “best pound-for-pound” fighter alive.
Others worth noting: Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping, Marius Zaromskis vs Jason High, Dan Hornbuckle vs Akihiro Gono.
Other 2009 award winners: Submission of the Year.
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