This Knockout of the Year candidate, on a blood-splattered canvas, is as satisfying as it is horrifying

• One of the most brutal and beautiful KOs of the year landed Sunday at a Muay Thai event.
• Said Kabil's axe kick dazed his opponent. He then landed three punch-perfect shots.

This Knockout of the Year candidate, on a blood-splattered Muay Thai canvas, is as satisfying as it is horrifying.

It all went down Sunday at Indigo at the O2 in London during the Muay Thai Grand Prix event that featured a bout between Said Kabil and Gary Corbett.

Kabil threw a well-executed axe kick at Corbett and connected so cleanly that the strike dazed him, before following with a punch-perfect combination of shots — a straight right hand, a right uppercut, and a left hook.

The first shot in that flurry of strikes knocked Corbett out cleanly. And, though he was technically unconscious, his body did not drop to the floor straight away and it appeared like he was suspended in animation.

That's when Kabil, who was in the midst of launching his fight-finishing sequence, landed that uppercut and left hook. Corbett was finally on the ground. It was all over.

Striking at this elite level can look beautiful and brutal.

And you can watch it for yourself right here:

A post shared by MTGP (@muaythaigrandprix)

Posting on his Instagram account, Kabil said it was hard to describe the feelings he had after the result had been confirmed.

"I haven't fought in two years because of COVID, and had no opportunities," the fighter said. "I'm finally back and really hungry. I can't wait to fight again and take over this division."

Kabil also posted an alternative angle of the knockout sequence.

See it here:

A post shared by Saïd Kabil (@said_kabil1)

The Muay Thai Grand Prix promotion said Corbett, who suffered the devastating KO, "is doing ok."