Mike Wilkinson stunned the Swedish crowd into silence tonight at UFC Fight Night 53 by brutally knocking out Niklas Backstrom with an overhand right barely a minute into the fight.
Round One:
Backstrom with a leg kick to start. Wilkinson tries a low spinning kick that misses. He then looks for a takedown, but doesn’t get it.
Backstrom with a spinning kick of his own that misses, but he lands with a front kick to the body.
Backstrom moves into the clinch after a kick and uses his height to his advantage as he lands some big knees to the head of his opponent.
The Swede lands a front kick to the face, but Wilkinson eats it and fires back with an overhand right that topples Backstram to the canvas like a tree. He was out before he even hit the mat, though Wilkinson landed a few quick ground and pound strikes before the ref stepped in.
Spectacular highlight reel finish from Wilkinson there and that hands Backstrom the first loss of his career, much to the displeasure of the Swedish fans who perhaps take national pride a little too far by loudly booing the Brit.
