Abdul Razak Alhassan took just 17 seconds to join an elite class of UFC fighters.
The 36-year-old Ghanaian delivered the fastest head-kick KO in UFC history which left Italian and favourite Alessio Di Chirico a bumbling mess on the ground.
Alhassan ended the fight with his first strike after Di Chirico connected with two front kicks, in what will be immortalised by the promotion for years to come. The Italian hung his head on the left side and that was enough for Alhassan to pounce.
The finish was Alhasssan’s 11th in the first-round and he joins an elite class of fighters with the devastating KO and is now just the seventh fighter in UFC history to score at least three knockouts in less than a minute in his career.
Alhassan had lost his last three fights to fall to a career record of 11-4, with his last defeat against Australian Jacob Malkoun in April. He was on a mission to revive his UFC career and he did just that.
“When I talk about a terrifying man, I tell ya one of the craziest head kicks I’ve ever seen in my life,” Paul Felder said in commentary.
“That’s what I call a sickening thud,” Michael Bisping added.
Speaking after the fight, Alhassan said he was looking forward to calling his son, who had expressed dismay over his recent losing streak.
“I can’t wait to talk to him,” Alhassan said with tears in his eyes. “He watched my last few fights and when I got home, the first thing he told me was ‘daddy, you have to stop losing and you have to start winning’.
“It hurts me really bad but at the same time I know he’s coming from a good place. I can’t wait to call him later and let him now daddy won.”
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