Mixed martial artist Sergio Pettis produced the ‘knockout of the year’, as he knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi in remarkable fashion on Friday.
It looked as if Pettis was heading for defeat on points, however he pulled out one of the great knockout blows to ensure he was the man victorious at Bellator 272.
His opponent Horiguchi found himself well ahead on points after the opening three rounds, and looked certain for victory heading into fourth and final.
However the Japanese fighter was dramatically dropped to the canvas three minutes and 24 seconds into the fourth round, as Pettis spun on the back of the momentum of a kick, before landing a solid left hand on the helpless Horiguchi.
Following the drop the American hurried over his opponent to land another blow, however the early punch proved more than enough as the referee declared the fight over.
After his victory Pettis revealed that he had to ‘do something spectacular’ to somehow find a win, and that is exactly what he did.
He said: “I was just like, ‘Man, I’m losing this fight. I’ve got to do something spectacular.’
"And it came out at the right time."
Whilst the knockout was no doubt a remarkable one, Pettis still believes his all round performance shows there is still plenty of room for improvement within his game.
The American continued: “I needed to face some adversity, and tonight Horiguchi gave me all of that.
What Pettis' blow the knockout of the year? Let us know in the comments section below.
“Man, it was hard trying to time his rhythm, try to get his movement down, but man, I just had to open up.
"My coaches always tell me, ‘If you open up, you’re one of the best in the world,’ and that’s what I’m pushing for.
"I’m only 28 and this fight showed me that I have a lot more to work on.”
Unsurprisingly fans across social media were shell shocked by the knockout, as the praise heaped in for the victorious Pettis.
One fan - Brett Okamoto - labelled the punch as the ‘finish of the year’ writing: “SHOWTIME Sergio Pettis???
"OMGGGGGGGG. That might be the finish of the year. Consider the moment, the technique, the devastation of it. Unbelievable."
The win for the American means he remains unbeaten in Bellator, moving his record to four wins from four fights.
