Image via Complex Original
Everyone from mixed martial arts buffs to casual fans can appreciate a knockout. It's not something that has to be explained and there's never a question of who won. Anderson "The Spider" Silva, the pride of Coritiba, Brazil, has been adding classic KOs to his MMA resume for 15 years now. He has been hailed by his superiors and contemporaries as the greatest middleweight and pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
UFC president Dana White called Silva "the greatest mixed martial artist ever." He has dispatched all who have come for his belt and many of those victories (19 of 32) have come via vicious knockouts, using almost every part of his body. So, in anticipation of another brutal knockout against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153, check out Anderson Silva's Most Brutal Stoppages.
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14. Rumble on the Rock 8
Victim: Yushin Okami
Date: 1/20/2006
While laying on his back, Silva delivered an upkick that left Yushin Okami seeing stars. Another epic knockout victory, right? Uhh, there's only one problem. That upkick to the face was illegal and Okami was declared the winner. On another note, that ref is one brave soul to step in front of an enraged Anderson Silva. Are they really paying you that well, fam?
13. UFC 134
Victim: Yushin Okami
Date: 8/27/2011
As mentioned before, the Spider's first match-up ended a with a brutal kick from Silva but it was Yushin who left with the victory. Turns out illegal upkicks are pretty awesome but kind of necessary in order to make sure no one dies in the octagon. In their rematch five years later Silva once again delivered some vicious blows but this time they were legal and he walked away with the W. If you're coming at the UFC middleweight champ, you better come correct!
12. Mecca: World Vale Tudo 4
Victim: Claudionor Fontinelle
Date: 12/16/2000
Anderson Silva was only four fights into his career when he fought Fontinelle, but as you can see from this clip, his ability to finish opponents was on point. Silva's kicks begin to break Fontinelle down then his shots to the body allow him to finish off his opponent with one crushing knee to the head. *cues the soundtrack*
11. Cage Rage 11
Victim: Jorge Rivera
Date: 4/30/2005
This was one of those times when the only thing a fighter could do is curl up in the fetal position and hope that the ref is coming to save his life. After those two quick jabs drove him back, Rivera knew that all he could do was guard against the fast hands of Silva. But when the knees came in, it was a wrap.
10. Cage Rage 14
Victim: Curtis Stout
Date: 12/3/2005
In Silva's successful defense of his Cage Rage world middleweight championship, he just goes to work on Curtis Stout's face until the ref stops the match. It's not easy making a professional fighter look like a defenseless infant on the mat but Silva is able to do so. Yikes.
9. UFC Fight Night 14
Victim: James Irvin
Date: 7/19/2008
Clearly Anderson Silva was unfazed by this being his first light heavyweight match, despite being pitted against former World Extreme Cagefighting heavyweight champion James Irvin. But why should he have been, really? In the first round of this affair, Silva catches Irvin's attempt at a leg kick and lands a crushing blow that sends the dude straight to the mat. He pummels him some more before the ref eventually declares Irvin dunzo. Why on earth the ref didn't stop this match after that first crushing blow from Silva is anyone's guess.
And yes, we know that this clip looks like it's taped off of the TV from someone's cell phone but thanks to UFC's tough hold on copyrighted videos this is what was available. C'mon, Uncle Dana!
8. UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5
Victim: Chris Leben
Date: 6/28/2006
Anderson Silva's debut will forever be remembered as one of the most memorable of his career. Chris Leben, who had a reputation for having a concrete jaw, famously said he was going to send Silva back to Japan where the competition was slightly easier. Silva had other plans though and UFC middleweights were put on notice when Leben was hit fast and hard and eventually was knocked out with a knee to the face. #inthebeginning
7. UFC 148
Victim: Chael Sonnen
Date: 7/7/2012
In a defense of his middleweight championship, Silva was able to keep his belt and extend his undefeated UFC record to 15 wins. Silva spent most of round one on his back but round two was a different story. Sonnen went for a huge blow, but missed and fell to the ground which allowed Silva to pounce and after numerous knee and hand strikes, the ref stepped in and declared it a TKO.
6. Cage Rage 16
Victim: Tony Fryklund
Date: 4/22/2006
Did this guy Tony Fryklund even know what hit him? By the look on his face we think not, the dude is standing in full guard but Silva knows his elbow can cut right through that for the knockout. It almost appeared like Silva knifed Fryklund, but the only weapon in this cage was The Spider's vicious elbow. After the knockout, while Fryklund is trying to remember where and probably who he is, Silva does a whirling dervish celebration. We imagine Fryklund's head probably felt something like that at the time.
5. UFC 77
Victim: Rich Franklin
Date: 10/20/2007
After losing his middleweight championship to Anderson Silva one year earlier, Rich Franklin made an effort to step his game up in the rematch. He was solid about halfway into the first round, but then Silva started hitting him with the body shots again. Luckily, Franklin was saved by the bell in the first round when he was entering a dangerous territory. By the second round, Silva KO'd Franklin with some furious knee strikes and punches in a successful middleweight championship defense.
4. UFC 64
Victim: Rich Franklin
Date: 10/14/2006
You know it's bad when you have to have your face reconstructed. Though it didn't start out that way for Rich Franklin. In what seemed like a competitive matchup, the beginning of this bout was relatively even for about a total of two minutes. Silva started to land some body shots, which opened up Franklin's head. Silva finished off Franklin with a knee to the head for the KO. With that win, he was crowned UFC middleweight champion.
3. Pride 25
Victim: Carlos Newton
Date: 3/16/2003
Anderson Silva caught Carlos Newton with a knee to the face and that was the end of the match. You can even hear the announcer in the background of this video saying "he's out" shortly after Silva's knee connected with Newton's cranium. Knee caps, elbows, shins, fists, Silva has used them all to achieve knockouts.
2. UFC 101
Victim: Forrest Griffin
Date: 8/8/2009
At UFC 101 The Spider took Forrest Griffin to school with a cheeky first-round knockout. After egging Griffin on by dropping his guard, Silva eludes his opponent's swing and knocks Griffin out all while backing up. Griffin is an accomplished fighter in his own right (former UFC light heavyweight champion) but this fight exemplifies how Anderson Silva is a cut above the rest. #simplyunfuckwitable
1. UFC 126
Victim: Vitor Belfort
Date: 2/5/2011
Vitor Belfort stood no chance when he ran into Anderson Silva's lead foot. His face was crushed and he was KO'd as Silva was able to retain his middleweight championship in this bout. Belfort instantly hit the mat and Silva got in a few more shots before the ref stopped the match. Only The Spider could deliver a knockout that could potentially leave you with both a concussion and athlete's foot in your grill.