Sherdog.com’s 2016 Knockout of the Year

Mixed martial arts is a sport that is principally defined by moments. That is what fans tend to remember more than anything else as time elapses. Baseball has its statistics which tie together eras and put players in context. In basketball, championship rings are what define the most celebrated players. MMA has titles, records and stats like any other sport, but we tend to remember fighters more for their most iconic moments than any accolades that can be written down on a sheet of paper.Anderson Silva held the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight belt for nearly seven years and set records for title defenses and consecutive wins. However, that is not what fans think of first when they remember Silva’s career. Instead, they remember the spectacular front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort. They remember the last-ditch triangle that saved his title against Chael Sonnen. They remember the way he made Forrest Griffin swing at air before gliding back into range to exact furious vengeance. It was not about Silva winning; it was the way he won. It is largely forgotten that Chuck Liddell’s fights sometimes had stretches that were dull because they usually ended with a spectacular knockout and frenzied celebration. Belfort and B.J. Penn continued to capture the public imagination even when they were not fighting well because the memories of their most remarkable triumphs stuck with them much more than any setback. Unlike team sports where fans often just want to see their side win, individual sports need to be driven to some degree by excitement. Once fans have attachment to a particular fighter, they will be engaged in that fighter’s bouts even when they are not that scintillating; however, it is hard for that attachment to form without the initial thrills. Those thrills usually come in the form of memorable moments that fans then tune in hoping to see again. Unbeaten Bellator MMA welterweight Michael Page is a fighter who delivers such moments. There are often slow periods in his fights, but when he strikes on an opponent, it is a sight to behold. His athleticism and unique style lead to an offensive repertoire that is varied and distinct. Between that and his larger-than-life personality, he has all the makings of a potential superstar in the sport. If he reaches that status, 2016 will have brought one of his first signature moments: the Sherdog “Knockout of the Year” over Evangelista Santos. Sometimes the telling blow in a fight will not stand out as it is thrown. Rich Franklin knocked Liddell out cold with a little short right hand that looked like any other punch, while Mark Hunt became only the second …

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