At UFC 313 in Las Vegas in early March, Brazilian light-weight Mauricio Ruffy opened the principle card in opposition to veteran King Inexperienced in one of many cleanest technical knockouts of 2025. Simply 2 minutes and 07 seconds into the primary spherical, Luffy landed a spinning wheel kick that despatched Inexperienced face-first into the canvas, immediately ending the match. That end was so pure and so uncommon that it earned him quite a few Knockout of the 12 months awards throughout the game, together with recognition from MMA Preventing, ESPN, Full Violence, and LowKick MMA.
Low Kick MMA 2025 Awards: KO of the 12 months – Mauricio Ruffy’s spinning wheel kick defeats King Inexperienced
Inexperienced, 38, is an American fighter who started skilled combined martial arts in 2008. He has held the King of the Cage title throughout two weight courses and competed in Strikeforce, Affliction, and Large Present over a 17-year profession. He’s sturdy and technically superior inside boxing, leading to 31 skilled wins in Luffy’s matches. Nonetheless, he was in a tough scenario with simply 1 win and three losses in his final 4 fights, together with a submission loss to Paddy Pimblett the earlier summer season. Thirty-eight fights right into a profession, even a well-rounded fighter like Inexperienced turns into vulnerable to the form of lightning-fast finishes that outline Knockout highlights of the 12 months.
In distinction, Luffy represents a brand new wave. The 28-year-old Brazilian earned a UFC contract by way of Dana White’s Contender Sequence on the finish of 2023 after constructing a formidable resume on Brazil’s regional scene, successful titles and ending at will. His UFC debut in Might 2024 resulted in a brutal first-round TKO in opposition to Jamie Malarkey, and he then received a call victory, bettering his document to 3-0 earlier than dealing with Inexperienced. He fights out of the Preventing Nerds Fitness center in Sao Paulo, recognized for his analytical combating model and knack for ending.
When the battle started, each side measured the vary with tentative assaults. Luffy landed a clear proper hand, forcing the inexperienced to regulate, after which Luffy set to work. He coated Inexperienced with a blow after which feinted a left hook. The transfer regarded like an actual menace looming over Inexperienced’s head. Inexperienced raised his arms to dam the hook, which was a pure response. Nonetheless, as soon as dedicated to that defensive transfer, Luffy used the momentum created by the feint to spin round and throw a spinning wheel kick, apparently proper after the hook. The heel was pressed in opposition to Inexperienced’s temple, and that was the battle.
Luffy’s efficiency did not have any pointless actions which might be frequent in roundhouse kicks. His set-up, feint, drew Inexperienced’s consideration upstairs, created a gap, and naturally loaded the hip rotation he wanted. The shock was absolute. Inexperienced stiffened, crashed face-first into the canvas, and didn’t get again up. Daniel Cormier referred to as this battle to the UFC and mentioned it was among the best knockouts he had seen in his total profession. Joe Rogan, who interviewed Luffy shortly afterward, referred to as it “one of the lovely wheel kicks I’ve ever seen carried out contained in the Octagon.” It regarded just like the form of end that may play out on spotlight reels for years, so clear that it virtually did not really feel actual.
