5 best UFC knockouts of 2018

#4 Lyoto Machida vs. Vitor Belfort – UFC 224 – 05/12/2018

Lyoto Machida's front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort was picture-perfect

In a battle of longtime veterans, Lyoto Machida faced off with his countryman Vitor Belfort in Brazil in May in what many people were figuring could be the last UFC fight for both men.

That guess turned out to be correct, as Belfort retired after the fight while Machida signed with Bellator – but few observers guessed how good the finish would be.

With the fight threatening to turn into a staring contest with only one minute gone, Machida suddenly lashed out with a front kick that landed flush to Belfort’s face.

‘The Phenom’ went crashing to the ground and Machida had no reason to follow up, instead standing over his fallen foe, hands on his hips, before bowing in a show of respect.

Some seven years after Anderson Silva popularised the front kick by knocking Belfort out, Machida had managed to uncork an even better-looking version of the strike – on the same opponent – and while it won’t be remembered in the same iconic fashion as Silva’s, it was arguably prettier viewing – and a tremendous moment for Machida to sign off his decade-long UFC career with.