MMA Knockout of the Day: Robbie Lawler and the Slap Heard 'Round the World

In less than a minute, it was all over.

At Strikeforce: St. Louis on December 4, 2010, "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler squared off against Matt "The Law" Lindland in a middleweight bout that was expected to be a fight for the ages.

Lawler had built up a reputation as a brawler, while Lindland was a wrestler with strong punching power.  After the round one bell, both men came out swinging.  Rather than try and take it to the ground, Lindland was going for the knockout and attempted to clinch Lawler multiple times.

Unfortunately for him, Lawler wasn't having any of it.  Each time Lindland tried to clinch, he stuffed it and sent him back with another punch.

Finally, at the 45 second mark, Lawler had had enough.  After nailing Lindland with a couple of jabs, he tagged him with a right hook that sent Lindland sprawling to the mat.  Yet, if you watch the video, you'll notice something strange about the fateful punch.

Call me crazy, but that punch kind of has a slappy look to it.  It's as though Lawler got tired of Lindland's constant clinch attempts and thus tagged him on the face with that slap.  It's as if he was saying, "Yo, buddy!  Stop goofing around and fight already!"

Since this fight, Lindland has not fought.  Lawler, however, battled Ronaldo Souza at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg.  He was submitted two minutes into round three, due to a rear naked choke.

All in all, I'd say this knockout definitely ranks among one of the most entertaining.  And for multiple reasons.

First, of course, there's the knockout punch, itself.

Second, it's kind of hilarious watching Lawler after the hit.  After Lindland falls, he jumps on top, lands another punch and then puts his arms up as if to say, "How do you like me now????"

Even funnier, he then straightens Lindland's legs out.  What's the point of that??

Yet, the best moment of this fight comes courtesy of Strikeforce broadcaster Mauro Ranallo .  After the hit, in a Gus Johnson-like fashion, he gets very fired up.

"Lindland gets knocked out! He is out! Ruthless Robbie Lawler! Ho, ho, ho! He gets the KO for Christmas!"

With the hits, fighter reactions and, of course, a great broadcaster in Mauro Ranallo, Robbie Lawler's game of slappity-slap with Matt Lindland definitely ranks among one of the better knockouts in MMA history.