The Best Flying Knockouts In ONE Championship History

There may not be a more spectacular sight in mixed martial arts than a flying knockout.

The skill and athleticism it takes to launch an airborne attack means they are rarely seen, and even more rarely effective.

However, some of ONE Championship’s elite martial artists have managed to nail them with perfection and, as a result, produced a stunning highlight-reel moment.

Take a look at the greatest flying knockouts ever witnessed on the global stage.

Nguyen’s Sensational Flying Knee Of Jadambaa

ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen is famous for his stunning knockouts, but he topped them all with this incredible second-round stoppage over the iron-chinned Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa at ONE: ROOTS OF HONOR in April 2019.

Nguyen chopped away with kicks to his rival’s calf and thigh to lay the foundation for the finish. The damage accumulated, and a final low kick caused Jadambaa to buckle and stumble backwards.

The Vietnamese-Australian followed “Tungaa” as he fell back to the Circle Wall, and then he launched himself through the air with a scissor knee, which connected cleanly on the jaw and separated the Mongolian from his senses.

“The Jaguar” Capitalizes On Miao’s Aggression

The strawweight contest between Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado and Miao Li Tao at ONE: AGE OF DRAGONS in November 2019 was a cautionary tale for aggressive athletes.

China’s Miao tried to walk his rival down with punches, but Miado remained composed and waited for his opportunity.

As the Filipino backpedaled, Miao kept coming forward, and that is when “The Jaguar” saw the opening he was looking for.

Right when the Beijing warrior took aim with his left hook, “The Jaguar” sprang into action with a right knee. It landed on the point of his opponent’s chin and knocked him out cold.

Takenaka’s Superman Punch Ends Epic Battle

The three-round battle of attrition between Daichi Takenaka and Leandro “Brodinho” Issa at ONE: DAWN OF HEROES in August 2019 ended with an emphatic finish from the Japanese athlete in the final stanza.

Takenaka grew in confidence as the bout wore on, and his striking landed more frequently on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. Still, Issa pressed forward.

“Brodinho” lunged in with a wide left hook, but Takenaka had already primed the Brazilian with his superman punch. The Japanese competitor used a subtle skip-step to load the power into his left hand, and then he jumped forward into the strike.

The opposing forces combined for a concussive blow, allowing the Paraestra Izumi representative to rally with follow-up ground strikes to seal the victory.

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Nastyukhin’s Switch-Knee Finishes Folayang

Timofey Nastyukhin scored one of the biggest wins of his career when he knocked out Eduard “Landslide” Folayang in the opening round of their encounter at ONE: WARRIOR’S WAY in December 2014.

The Russian stunned Folayang with a sharp right hand at the three-minute mark of the contest, and then he looked to set up the bout-ending strike.

“Landslide” tried to keep his foe at bay with a left hook, but Nastyukhin launched himself into the air with a scissor knee.

The left knee crunched into the Filipino’s chin and sent him crashing to the canvas, where a few follow-up shots swiftly ended the match.

Ataides Corners And Knocks Out Ali

Despite his World Championship-winning BJJ credentials, Leandro “Wolf” Ataides has delivered some of the most memorable knockouts in The Home Of Martial Arts, including this huge stoppage over Mohamed Ali at ONE: AGE OF DOMINATION in December 2019.

With 30 seconds left in the second frame, “Wolf” aimed a spinning backfist in the Egyptian’s direction, which forced him back towards the Circle Wall.

Ataides kept him there with a two-punch combination, and then he exploded into a flying right knee. The Brazilian’s hulking frame gliding through the air was an amazing sight— especially when the end result was Ali face-first on the canvas.

“Wolf” Stops A Former World Champion

Ataides earned himself another thrilling KO victory when he stopped former ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY in May 2018.

The match was in the balance in the third round and both men had their share of success, but the exciting Brazilian star dramatically turned the tide with a thudding superman punch.

“Wolf” powered towards Bigdash with a short skip, and then he planted his right hand on his rival’s jaw.

The Russian was clearly hurt and backed away, but Ataides kept up the pressure. He hit a quick takedown and unloaded a barrage of ground and pound to earn a momentous victory.

Read more: The Best World Title Knockouts In ONE Championship History