UFC Fight Island 5 was a card full of exciting finishes, on day full of them. While Bellator and KSW had their fare share of exciting stoppages, the latest Abu Dhabi card from the UFC stole the show. Or, more accurately, Joaquin Buckley did.
After four straight decisions to open the event, Buckley pulled off an incredible spinning back kick that began with Impa Kasanganay catching an initial kick. Buckley then used that opportunity to launch himself into a spinning attack that ended with his foot connecting flush on Impa’s face. It’s really a finish that has the be seen to be believed — and it’s the instant front-runner for knockout of the year.
THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE KO IN UFC HISTORY 🤯 #UFCFightIsland5 pic.twitter.com/O7BOJg8h9c
— UFC (@ufc) October 10, 2020
You’d better believe that finish earned a Performance of the Night bonus. So too did three other fighters, with Tom Breese, Chris Daukaus, and main event bantamweight Cory Sandhagen earning the other $50,000 post-fight awards.
No Fight of the Night was handed out Saturday.
Sandhagen earned his prize for another spinning attack, a wheel kick that helped put top-ranked 135lb’er Marlon Moraes away. It was the most impressive showing of Sandhagen’s career to date, and just what the doctor ordered, as he bounced back from a loss to Aljamain Sterling — who is likely next for champ Petr Yan.
Daukaus showed excellent hand speed with his finish of Rodrigo Nascimento, while Breese had one of his best performances when he put newcomer KB Bhullar away, a TKO set up with a jab.
