MMA Fighter Crashes Headfirst Into Cage in 8-Second "Knockout of the Year" Contender

Where does this knockout rank on the list of the year's best MMA finishes?

(FAC)

A busy weekend of MMA action got off to a violent start on Friday night when Fighting Alliance Championship 36 took place in Independence, Missouri.

Highlighted by a UFC Fight Night card headlined by Raul Rosas Jr. and Raoni Barcelos, this weekend also features major MMA events from the likes of Cage Warriors and Oktagon MMA, as well as a BKFC main event between former UFC title challenger Darren Till and Yoel Romero.

There was also some midweek action from Dana White’s Contender Series and Peruvian fight promotion Inka FC, the latter of which produced a highlight-reel knockout that looked to an immediate frontrunner for the week’s best finish.

Josh Davis Sends Opponent Crashing Into the Cage With 8-Second KO

Fridays are typical busy nights for regional MMA action, and yesterday Missouri-based Fighting Alliance Championship returned for the first time since July with FAC 36.

Offering a mix of amateur and professional MMA fight as well as one kickboxing bout, the early part of FAC 36 saw amateur heavyweight Josh Davis make his third appearance of the year opposite the debuting Jacob Tanner.

After a first-round finish in an amateur kickboxing bout with Shamrock FC last year, Davis made his MMA debut in March and only needed 56 seconds to stop Ethan Mireles at Synergy FC 27.

The 26-year-old made the move to FAC in May and knocked out Joshua Bush in just 6 seconds, and Davis very nearly matched that result at FAC 36 when he violently dispatched Tanner in under 10 seconds.

Statement made!!

Josh Davis sends Jacob Tanner into the cage!!! pic.twitter.com/GJawbU7hI2

— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) September 26, 2026

Face-plant knockouts are a semi-regular occurrences in MMA, but the visual of Davis’ latest knockout was made all the more violent by the fact that Tanner ended up flying face-first into the cage after getting slept by a right hand.

Daniel Olajiga Also Flatlined Kyven Gadson at FAC 36

Davis’ finish of Tanner immediately vaults into contention for MMA’s “Knockout of the Year”, but he wasn’t the only one to secure a brutal stoppage at FAC 36.

The card’s penultimate bout also took place in the heavyweight division, with the undefeated Kyven Gadson taking on Daniel Olajiga.

Gadson came into the night after stopping all four of his previous opponents, but the 34-year-old found himself on the wrong end of a brutal highlight when he tried to swarm Olajiga and got caught by a counter right hand.

Daniel Olajiga flatlines Kyven Gadson in round 1!!! 😳 pic.twitter.com/iuxV5kIISD

— Spectation Sports (@SpectationNet) September 26, 2026

“The Silverback” improved to 6-3 with the stunning victory, and Olajiga is now also 2-0 this year after he won a unanimous decision in his previous outing at Island Fight 99 in August.