If you were to combine the excitement of a grand slam in baseball, a Hail Mary touchdown in football, and a buzzer-beating half court shot to win the game in basketball, you are nearing the thrill of a knockout in combat sports. 

Whether it’s an elbow, fist, knee, shin, or foot that sends an opponent crashing unconscious to the canvas, the crowd erupts like a volcano. Once the initial warmth of satisfaction washes over everyone, a chill runs up your spine, wondering if the fighter on the floor, who appears lifeless, is ok. 

According to ufc-secrets.com, who have thoroughly analyzed over 5,000 UFC fights, only 33.9% of all finishes result from of a KO/TKO.

Not only is a stoppage via KO/TKO less common than you may imagine, they are, with each passing year, becoming more like a unicorn in the sport. As mixed martial artists develop their skillsets, it is much more difficult for them to get caught with an unexpected strike.

A breakdown of the stats reveal that if a knockout is to occur, the earlier rounds—when both fighters are fresh and uncertain of the other’s game plan—are when a vicious KO is likely.

Unlike specific moments in team sports that find themselves in history’s annals, a KO in MMA is instantly added to a highlight reel.

Prompted from the A to Z Challenge at: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/.