Missed Fists: Kiya O’Sullivan head kick knockout slumps opponent on the cage

Welcome to the latest edition of Missed Fists where we shine a light on fights from across the globe that may have been overlooked in these hectic times where it seems like there’s an MMA show every other day.

With the UFC chugging along as usual (oh, hi Abu Dhabi!) and the Olympics in full swing, no one would blame you if your sports viewing attention is spread thin these days. Fear not, as always, MMA social media has you covered, and it’s a good thing, too, because we have a ridiculous set of knockouts to replay over and over and over and over again this week.

(Big thanks as always to @Barrelelapierna for their weekly lists of the best KOs and submissions, and to @Grabaka_Hitman for uploading many of the clips you see here. Give them a follow and chip in on Patreon if you can.)

Kiya O’Sullivan vs. Karolina Arm

Let’s double down on that thank you to @Barrelelapierna because the five finishes we’re looking at this week all come from their fantastic clip compilation.

No. 1 on their list—and I’m inclined to agree—is this monster head kick knockout from an amateur bout at a Cage Legacy event in Dublin, Ireland, this past weekend.

Kiya O’Sullivan had opponent Karolina Arm retreating, but more importantly, she had Arm guessing. And when it came time for O’Sullivan to make her move, oh boy, did Arm guess wrong.

Rather than circle to safety, she circles right into O’Sullivan’s high kick. Arm’s head horrifically whips to one side and her legs immediately start to malfunction, the whole sequence sending her crumbling against the cage.

No follow-up strikes from O’Sullivan, thankfully. Just the immediate satisfaction of a knockout, the first for O’Sullivan and possibly the best one she’ll ever have.

Here Dudes vs. Chris Hansen

We go from amateur greatness to a battle of truly outstanding names as Raihere Dudes—better known as Here Dudes—knocked Chris Hansen—yes, Chris Hansen—absolutely stiff with a blink-and-you-missed-it combination.

Suffice to say, Mr. Hansen would not be catching any predators on this day. Nay, it was the esteemed Mr. Dudes that ended up catching a W, his 12 in his first 13 pro bouts.

Shuriken Fight Series 18 is available for replay on UFC Fight Pass.

Enoch McCottrell vs. Andrew Toste

Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat held an event in Lemoore, Calif., last week, and in another bit of nominative determinism, Andrew Toste ended up as… well, Toste.

Enoch McCottrell let a right hand rip from the hip and he got all of it, putting Toste out on his feet. Not willing to let his opponent just fall on him, McCottrell delivered a hard shove that sent Toste plummeting to the mat.

It’s the sheer disdain of this finish that makes it so mesmerizing.

A1 Combat shows are also available on UFC Fight Pass.

Antonio Hernandez vs. Carlos Janet

Back to the amateur ranks we go, with an American Kombat Alliance event in Marksville, La.

In what was the first fight for both Antonio Hernandez and Carlos Janet, it was Hernandez who landed the telling blow. To be honest, “telling blow” might be underselling this one.

Hernandez beats Janet to the punch with a quick-draw right hand, barely even giving Janet the chance to get off his own shot. The momentum immediately causes face to meet mat, with mat winning, as it always does.

AKA 39 is available for PPV replay on TrillerTV.

Nurbek Kabdrakhmanov vs. Wanderley Junior

It’s a short Missed Fists this week, but as you’ve seen, no less brutal to watch than usual, and that’s true of our last clip from a Naiza FC show in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Featherweight champion Nurbek Kabdrakhmanov won his title this past December and defended for the first time against the delightfully named Wanderley Junior. Late in the first round, Kabdrakhmanov started to pull away in the striking department, setting Junior up for this nasty knee knockout.

Watch that one a few times frame by frame and you’ll see Junior dip his head at precisely the wrong moment, with Kabdrakhmanov having him perfectly scouted. If anything, it looks like Kabdrakhmanov baited him into it.

That’s seven straight wins now for Kabdrakhmanov, who improves to 10-2 as a pro.

Catch a free replay of Naiza FC 64 on YouTube.

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If you know of a recent fight or event that you think may have been overlooked, or a promotion that could use some attention, please let us know on X — @AlexanderKLee — using the hashtag #MissedFists.