The best and worst from UFC Fight Night 153: Gustafsson vs. Smith

#2 Best: Leo Santos’s walk-off KO

Leonardo Santos knocked out Stevie Ray with one punch

Had it not been for Aleksandar Rakic’s crazy head kick knockout of Jimi Manuwa, TUF Brazil 2 winner Leonardo Santos would’ve easily laid claim to the best KO of this show.

His picture-perfect counter right hand knockout of Stevie Ray left the Scotsman out cold, and not only did Santos choose to walk off rather than follow up, he channelled 2001 BJ Penn by outright walking out of the Octagon and out of the arena.

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It was a super-cool moment but making it even more stunning was the fact that Santos is more known as a grappler than a striker; he’s an Abu Dhabi veteran and a very accomplished BJJ black belt. Shockingly though, this was actually his second KO in his last three fights – he hit the same counter right hand to knock out Kevin Lee back in 2015.

If Santos were younger and more active – he’s 39 years old and hadn’t fought since October 2016 – then we might be talking about him as a potential contender at 155lbs after last night’s performance.

As it is though, I’m just hoping he can fight a little more consistently going forward. Nobody expected such a wild KO from him here, but this was a truly awesome finish.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram