Top Five MMA Knockouts of 2012

<strong>5. Cung Le floors Franklin at UFC on FUEL TV 6 </strong> <br> Cung Le's striking was on display in his first two contests in the UFC, but against Rich Franklin at UFC on FUEL TV 6, the kickboxer was back to his finishing ways. Two minutes into the main event bout, Le perfectly timed an overhand right to secure the knockout win against the former champion. Out cold on his feet, Franklin collapsed to the mat, and Le proved once again why he should be feared on the feet as much as any other fighter in the UFC.

<strong>4. Anthony Pettis lands head kick at UFC 144 </strong> <br> Former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis is well known for his "Showtime Kick" and his advanced striking, altogether. At UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan, his kickboxing prowess was on full display against Joe Lauzon. Just over one minute into the fight, Pettis landed a vicious head kick to put the submission ace on the ground, and "Showtime" followed up with a few punches to earn the knockout victory and take a spot on our list. Don't be surprised if Pettis looks to follow up this knockout with another when he meets Donald Cerrone later this month.

<strong>3. Jose Aldo stops Mendes at UFC 142 </strong> <br> In his first two UFC fights, featherweight champion Jose Aldo fought for a combined ten rounds, totaling 50 minutes in the cage. At UFC 142 opposite Chad Mendes, he didn't even see the second frame. In the waning moments of Round 1, Aldo landed a vicious knee, sending the Team Alpha Male product to the canvas. A few punches later, the Brazilian champ sprinted out of the cage and into the a crowd filled with his fans. The knockout, coupled with the celebration, earns Aldo a spot on our list of the Top Five KO's of last year. (Photo courtesy of AP/Felipe Dana)

<strong>2. Johny Hendricks blasts Kampmann at UFC 154 </strong> <br> Johny Hendricks may have lost a shot at Georges St. Pierre to Nick Diaz, but his devastating knockout against Martin Kampmann at UFC 154 was a stunning display of power nonetheless. Shortly after the 40 second mark of Round 1, Hendricks lunged forward with a vicious strike, flooring Kampmann with just one shot and proving once again he can hang with the big guns at welterweight. One more victory like that, and the UFC would have a difficult time denying Hendricks of a title shot later in 2013.

<strong>1. Edson Barboza lands spinning kick at UFC 142 </strong> <br> There are knockouts and then there are knockouts such as Edson Barboza's from UFC 142 against Terry Etim. In the third round of the contest, the Brazilian fired off a spinning wheel kick to the head, and the lights went out for Etim. The killer KO will likely go down as one of the most incredible finishes in UFC history, gracing highlight reels for a long, long time.