5 best flying knee KOs in UFC history

#2. Cory Sandhagen vs. Frankie Edgar

Cory Sandhagen is one of the more interesting fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division. The highly skilled fighter hailing from Colorado has enjoyed a decent ascent up the rankings at 135 pounds.

He secured three finishes in his first three bouts in the promotion and followed them up with two decision victories. In his next bout, he succumbed to a fast submission loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250.

His loss to Sterling brought about a change in his approach to mental preparation going into fights. This was on display when he secured a TKO victory over Marlon Moraes in his next octagon outing. Sandhagen was a lot more aggressive in his fight against the Brazilian and wasn’t shy in showcasing his plethora of devastating strikes.

He carried the same mentality into his fight against UFC legend Frankie Edgar.

Frankie Edgar was expected to be a tough task for Cory Sandhagan considering his wrestling credentials and achievements in higher weight classes. However, what transpired at the UFC Apex when the duo locked horns left MMA fans around the world in utter disbelief.

Sandhagen used impeccable movement and timing to draw Edgar towards him before unleashing a vicious flying knee. The knee landed flush onto the chin of the former UFC lightweight champion, putting him to sleep.

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#1. Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren - Fastest KO in UFC history

Ben Askren was one of the most talked about fighters in MMA in 2019. Askren put together a perfect record of 18-0 outside of MMA's premier promotion, winning the welterweight titles in notable promotions like Bellator and ONE Championship.

In a sensational trade between the UFC and ONE, Askren joined the world's premier MMA organization with former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson heading the other way. In his first bout in the famed octagon, 'Funky' took on Robbie Lawler. He somewhat controversially won a submission win on the night to take his record to 19-0.

With his quick-witted trash talk, perfect record and high-level wrestling pedigree, Askren stirred things up in the welterweight division. He repeatedly called for a fight against then-lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and rallied for a title shot against then-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

Seemingly one win away from a championship opportunity, the wrestling phenom took on MMA veteran Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239.

Ben Askren's path to victory was as clear as day. He was never known for his striking prowess and was smart enough to know that wrestling was the easiest route to getting the win. Masvidal is primarily a striker, making him the perfect stylistic matchup for Askren.

However, Masvidal turned the world on its head, producing one of the greatest knockouts in the history of combat sports. As soon as the fight started, 'Gamebred' sprinted at Askren, knowing full well that the former wrestling champion would shoot for a takedown. At full speed, he met 'Funky' in the center of the octagon with a thunderous flying knee, which knocked him out just five seconds into the bout.

The five-second flying knee effectively ended Askren's career. He would fight just one more time, a submission loss to Damian Maia, before retiring. Meanwhile, Masvidal has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the sport off the back of the sensational KO.

Interestingly, days after his knockout victory over Askren, videos surfaced online of Masvidal drilling the eventual fight-ending strike two days before their fight.