Slam knockouts almost never happen in the UFC, but Saturday was different.
On the UFC on ESPN 52 prelims at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, Drakkar Klose (14-2-1 MMA, 8-2 UFC) elevated and slammed Joe Solecki (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) for a rare slam knockout. The stoppage came at the 1:41 mark of Round 1.
Solecki’s undoing turned out to be an armbar attempt off his back. As Solecki sought a fight-ending torque, the side of his head was driven hard into the canvas with the slam for a direct impact. Solecki’s head bounced like a basketball off the mat and his lights went out.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT #UFCAUSTIN pic.twitter.com/Sv2EdyC9kE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 2, 2023
The bout was Klose’s first since July 2022 and extended his winning streak to three. On the flip side, Solecki had a two-fight winning streak snapped.
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 52 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.