UFC
UFC 129 RESULTS: Lyoto Machida knocks Randy Couture into retirement with face kick KO in Toronto
May 1, 2011 - 9:40:56 AM UFC 129 RESULTS: Lyoto Machida knocks Randy Couture into retirement with face kick KO in Toronto

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Randy Couture's time as a mixed martial arts fighter has come to a close, and it ended on the business end of one of the most vicious knockouts in UFC history.

Lyoto Machida pulled off a leaping front kick to Couture's face that sent him crashing to the canvas in the second round of their fight at UFC 129 on Saturday night. In front of a crowd of 55,000 at the Rogers Centre, Machida followed in his teammate Anderson Silva's footsteps in pulling off only the second front kick knockout in the UFC, and his came after leaving his feet.

One more follow up strike on the ground was enough to bring an end to the contest, and Couture, less a half tooth knocked out by the kick, reiterated to Joe Rogan in the cage that this is the end of his career as a fighter after 14 years and 30 fights.

Machida snaps a two fight losing streak with the knockout win, and will look to re-insert himself into the top of the division after his first win since October of 2009.

Penick's Analysis: This was one of the most brutal knockout blows ever delivered inside the Octagon. Machida picked a perfect time after picking his spots earlier in the fight, and Couture just never saw it coming. It was insane, creative, amazing and will be in the running for knockout of the year for the rest of 2011.

[Lyoto Machida art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]