SportsPotato: Josh McRoberts TKO’s LeBron James via Flying Elbow
(Props: watchnba201415 via Deadspin)
Near the end of last night’s NBA playoff game between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Bobcats, Josh McRoberts hit LeBron James with a beautiful jumping elbow, sending James crashing to the court in apparent agony. In the NBA, that’s worthy of a flagrant foul. In the UFC, McRoberts would be pocketing $50,000 for Performance of the Night. The Heat hung on to victory, and are up 2-0 in their series against Charlotte.
Previously on SportsPotato…
– Power Play: Five MMA Techniques That Hockey Players Should Learn
– MMA/Wrestling Body Slams in Football Are So Hot Right Now
– Wild Badminton Brawl at the Canada Open
– Pedro Martinez vs. Don Zimmer, Obviously
Performance of the Night
The joke landed because the UFC had just changed its bonus system: in 2014 it replaced Knockout and Submission of the Night with Performance of the Night awards, paying $50,000 to standout finishers on each card. A flying elbow like Josh McRoberts’ would have been a strong contender.
Flying knees and elbows remain among the most spectacular finishes in MMA, from Jorge Masvidal‘s five-second knee on Ben Askren to countless regional highlight reels, which is exactly why basketball fans and MMA fans alike enjoyed this crossover moment.