Video: Josh Samman's vicious UFC 181 head-kick KO (and why it was 'bittersweet')

When fighters carry emotional baggage into the cage, you never quite know what to expect. In Josh Samman’s case, it was a highlight-reel finish that earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus at UFC 181.

In a FOX Sports 1-televised prelim prior to the night’s pay-per-view main card in Las Vegas, Samman (11-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) unloaded a vicious head-kick knockout on “The Ultimate Fighter 19? middleweight winner Eddie Gordon (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC).

Check out the video above (and his post-fight interview below).

Prior to UF 181, Samman talked to MMAjunkie about how he requested to fight on the Dec. 6 card because it would have been the birthday of his girlfriend, who died in a car accident. That led Samman to take a break from the sport, but he made a triumphant return at this past weekend’s event.

“It was pretty crazy,” he told MMAjunkie Radio after the fight. “Tonight is bittersweet even after I won. It would have been Hailey’s 24th birthday today, and I know she would have been real proud. But in terms of the emotions of the fight, I was unusually calm. I didn’t know how I was going to feel coming into the fight. I wasn’t sure exactly how the emotions would play into it. But we were in the back in the locker room, and we just all had a knowing that finishes come and that our hard work would pay off.”

Salman struggled early in the fight against Gordon before getting to his feet and unloading the crushing kick. He said he “definitely felt his power and his strength,” but as expected, he got his openings later in the fight.

“Even in the middle of the fight, he was so damn strong and just neutralized my jiu-jitsu like no opponent has ever done before,” Samman said. ” … I really didn’t have any other choice. I just had to wait to get back to standing and work some magic there. Thankfully it all worked out there and fell into place.”

For more on UFC 181, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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