We’ve seen spinning kicks in the UFC before, and we’ve seen celebratory somersaults – but how about both in the space of 10 seconds from a 120kg man?
Chris Barnett stole the show during the preliminary card at UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden, knocking down opponent Gian Villante with a spinning wheel kick before finishing it off with a few follow-up strikes.
To mark his first win in the UFC, he then did a somersault – although didn’t exactly stick the landing.
The vibe of the fight was light-hearted from the start, with Barnett displaying some impressive dance moves on the way to the ring.
Both men were full of smiles and respect for each other afterwards, Barnett going as far as to call on the crowd to give Villante a standing ovation in what was the veteran’s last fight.
“My man right here, two-week-old at home, he’s about to retire, excellent football coach, he’s got a son that’s 22 months. This is his town, this is his place, y’all stand up,” he said.
“Cheer for my man – this might have been his last one, but this ain’t it – he’s going to be riding with me from now on.”
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The fight was over midway through the second round, Barnett looked to throw a kick several times before connecting with that spinning wheel kick that will no doubt be on highlight reels for years to come.
A stacked card will culminate later today when Colby Covington challenges Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title.
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