There are many statements in MMA which fans have become immune to over the years. Cliché quotes that fighters use during every single one of their interviews. One is when a fighter claims they’ve had ‘the best camp of their career.’ When in fact, it’s more likely they’ve suffered a plethora of issues leading up to fight week.

Rarely do you get an honest view on a fighter’s last camp before the fight has actually happened. Thus when Cung Le put his medical issues (a foot injury) out there for all to see, it was quite refreshing. But also caused a number of people to doubt him, and his chances, against former, longtime UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin in the main event of the UFC’s Chinese debut in Macau in November, 2012.

Franklin, who was coming off a victory against Wanderlei Silva in Brazil in the summer, had made it clear he was attempting another title run and looked focused and aggressive from the time referee Marc Goddard signaled them to fight.

Yet Le stood firm and showed no sign of weakness in his foot, and just as Franklin landed a nice leg kick, he countered with a pin-point right hand, sending ‘Ace’ crashing onto the canvas in a lifeless heap.

“He (Rich Franklin) kept on throwing that punch at me, and I wasn’t able to time my kick,” Le revealed afterwards. “He was loading up and looking for me to kick so he could catch me with his punches. So I came in and I waited for him to punch and I just came over with the overhand right and caught him.”

Inside the Octagon, timing is everything.

Cung Le celebrated in style after the biggest win of his veteran career. With the Macau crowd cheering him on, and a $40K ‘Knockout of the Night’ bonus check heading his way, another cage cliché likely popped into his head. As, even though he came in the underdog and was far from 100% healthy, in the sport of mixed martial arts, when you’re wearing 4oz gloves, anyone can get knocked out.

Postscript: After losing to Michael Bisping by a round 4 TKO in China in 2014 Cung Le announced his retirement. His MMA record was 9-3; his earlier outstanding kickboxing career saw him leave with an unbeaten 17-0 record, 12 of those knockouts.