Top 5 Stories of the Week

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When shin meets skull, the curtain often closes.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Lyoto Machida dazzled in his debut at 185 pounds, as he knocked out Mark Munoz with a first-round head kick in the UFC Fight Night 30 main event on Oct. 26 at the Phones 4U Arena in Manchester, England. Munoz met his end 3:10 into round one.

Machida, who replaced the injured Michael Bisping, began to unravel the Reign MMA representative with a series of searing body kicks. Munoz lowered his hands in response, leaving himself open up top. Machida fired the kick and drove it through the glove of “The Filipino Wrecking Machine,” felling him where he stood.

“It’s very hard for me, because Mark is a friend, but as a professional, I don’t think about that,” Machida said. “Now that everything is over, the friendship will continue. Thank you for fighting me, Mark. I’m sorry about that. It’s the job.”

The stories of interest on Sherdog.com this week:

Enter ‘The Dragon’

Branching Out

Power Shift

Twin Peaks

Broadening Horizons

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