Joe Rogan reacts during the UFC 303 broadcast in Las Vegas, inset mystery icon and throwback banner. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

UFC star produced a unique KO that even Joe Rogan admitted he’d never seen before to earn title shot against the GOAT

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 7:35 PM ET

Joe Rogan has seen the sport of MMA evolve significantly since he first started calling fights for the UFC.

The long-time color commentator’s experience in the booth is unmatched, which recently allowed Rogan to pass some knowledge on to his colleague.

It speaks to the unpredictability of MMA that there are still things that the comedian and podcaster can experience for the first time in this sport.

This was the case on this day in 2022 when UFC 279 took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

On the same card that was significantly changed due to Khamzat Chimaev’s weight miss, a fighter produced a first inside the Octagon.

Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images

Irene Aldana produced the first body up kick KO in UFC history at UFC 279

UFC 279 may be best remembered for the chaotic fight week where Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz butted heads to name just one instance but there were some clear highlights.

Four of the five main card fights ended in finishes and while it may not have been the one that received the most spotlight, there’s no denying that there was one that left fans the most confused.

Irene Aldana faced off with Macy Chiasson in a catchweight bout of 140 pounds, where both women had secured one round each by the time that the third got underway.

Aldana had found success with her striking in the first only for Chiasson to adapt to this and take the fight to the floor in the second, giving her a clear path to victory.

While Chiasson did secure a takedown in the final round, she never could have anticipated what would happen in the following moments.

Aldana threw an up kick and while it’s rare enough to see these cause substantial damage, this one immediately ended the fight despite landing to the body.

The commentary team was questioning what had happened before the replay showed that they had just seen the first body up kick knockout in UFC history, with Joe Rogan remarking that he’d never seen that happen before.

Irene Aldana’s strange KO at UFC 279 led to her getting the biggest fight of her career

Irene Aldana put together back-to-back wins and finishes with her up kick knockout at UFC 279, which set her up for a big main event clash with Raquel Pennington.

This matchup didn’t end up happening due to a big change that was made at the very top of the bantamweight division.

With Julianna Pena injured, Amanda Nunes needed a new title challenger to step into her place and Aldana’s bizarre knockout made her the most suitable contender.

Nunes would go on to dominate Aldana before announcing her retirement before eventually deciding to return to the Octagon.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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