James Vick did not have a good night.
The former UFC lightweight contender suffered a brutal knockout loss at the hands of fellow UFC veteran Rafael Alves on Friday in the main event of Karate Combat 47.
Just minutes into the bout, Alves starched Vick with a grisly head kick that left the 37-year-old Texas native splayed out on the mat, totally unconscious. Watch video below.
This might be the most violent knockout in KC history. #KC47 pic.twitter.com/ZiGKWzkTVl
— Karate Combat (@KarateCombat) June 29, 2024
Vick is now 1-2 under the Karate Combat banner, having sandwiched a win over Gabriele Cera between losses to Jorge Perez and Alves.
A veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 15, Vick is most remembered for the 9-1 run that kicked off his UFC career and carried him to the precipice of lightweight title contention. He retired from MMA in 2021 following a loss to Andre Fialho on the regional scene.
Alves also had a four-fight run in the UFC from 2021-23, picking up a first-round submission over Marc Diakiese but falling short against Damir Ismagulov, Drew Dober, and Nurullo Aliev.
The highlight-reel knockout punctuated a wild event that also saw Karate Combat president Asim Zaidi choke a cornerman of Will Esparza unconscious during a chaotic brawl.
The full event replay can be watched below.
