As the curtain begins to fall on the combat sports calendar, the annual debate over the ‘Knockout of the Year’ (KOY) gains steam. Usually, the conversation is dominated by the highlight reel moments from the major leagues. However, the closing weeks of 2025 have provided a brutal, undeniable contender from the regional circuit in South America, forcing analysts to reconsider their established lists. This is the story of Lucas Corbage, a veteran fighter who turned a year defined by failure into a moment of spectacular, terrifying redemption.
The Cost of Inconsistent Performance
For 36-year-old Lucas Corbage, a lightweight hailing from Argentina, 2025 had been shaping up to be a year he would rather forget. Despite his experience, Corbage entered the final quarter having suffered three losses in his last four outings. The most damaging of these defeats was a lightning-fast knockout just 14 seconds into the main event of XFC 52 earlier in the year—a result that effectively halts a career`s momentum and raises serious questions about a fighter`s ability to compete at a high level.
Such setbacks often lead to a fighter being relegated to the role of gatekeeper, but Corbage sought an immediate, decisive turnaround. His opportunity came at FFC 99 (Fighting Force Championship) in his home city of Buenos Aires. The stakes were high: he was scheduled to challenge the promotion’s reigning 155-pound champion, Ronald Padilla.
The Challenge: An Undefeated Record Against the KO
Padilla, a 31-year-old fighter with an impressive 8-2 record, was not just on a four-fight winning streak; he held the highly coveted distinction of never having been knocked out in his professional career. This was precisely the kind of resilient, durable champion that Corbage, fresh off a devastating first-round loss himself, needed to overcome to reset his career trajectory.
The matchup was framed as a battle between the hungry veteran seeking stability and the champion defending his hard-earned resilience. What transpired less than three minutes into the first round was far more dramatic than any pre-fight prediction could have accounted for.
The Impact: A Frightening Display of Timing and Power
On November 26, the anticipated technical battle dissolved into a momentary act of clinical violence. Corbage executed a perfectly timed right hand that instantly achieved full kinetic energy transfer. The result was immediate and frighteningly conclusive: Padilla`s mouthguard rocketed across the cage, and the champion’s body went completely stiff—a chilling indicator of neurological shutdown—before he collapsed into a slow, deliberate faceplant.
In combat sports, the manner of the fall often dictates the longevity of the highlight reel. Padilla’s delayed, stiff descent—a common visual hallmark of a truly devastating knockout—combined with the flying equipment, instantly elevated the moment from a mere finish into a viral spectacle.
For Corbage, who had been brutally dispatched in a blink earlier in the year, this knockout represented not just a victory and a title, but a total reversal of fortune delivered with cold, surgical precision.
When Regional Violence Goes Global: Fan Reaction
Despite taking place on a regional card in Argentina, the footage immediately transcended geographic barriers, primarily due to its distribution via UFC Fight Pass. The visual nature of the finish—what some might call “perfectly executed violence”—shocked fans across social media platforms. The reactions were intense, focusing specifically on the traumatic visual presentation of the knockout:
- The immediate and total unconsciousness of the champion.
- The spectacular exit of the protective mouthpiece.
- The stiffness of the body upon impact.
Fans quickly assigned high-drama monikers to the finish, using phrases ranging from the mildly humorous (“Turned that man into a zombie”) to the darkly dramatic (one user described it as a “Knockout [televised execution]”).
Perhaps the most salient point raised by the ensuing online commentary centered on the inherent bias in year-end award voting. As one user aptly summarized:
“That’s a KO of the Year contender. Don’t whine to me about it being two randoms on a regional.”
This knockout serves as a potent reminder that the most technical, jaw-dropping acts of aggression in MMA are not always confined to the biggest stadium lights. Lucas Corbage’s redemption story, executed with such frightful force, now demands a spot in the final analysis of 2025’s greatest finishes, proving that sometimes, the late entry is the most impactful.
Gareth Pendleton 
Finlay Hurst