'KO contender of the year': Rising MMA star Bahamondes earns UFC deal with BRUTAL front kick to knock opponent OUT COLD (VIDEO)

Astonished fans have likened Chilean fighter Ignacio Bahamondes to UFC great Anderson Silva after he flattened an opponent with a vicious front kick on Dana White's Contender Series, earning his first UFC deal after the knockout.

Welterweight Bahamondes ended the second round of his fight with Edson Gomez 30 seconds early by producing a devastating kick clean to the face that left his rival sprawled on the canvas with one leg out to one side.

That landed the 23-year-old a contract from UFC president Dana White, who was suitably impressed by the ferocious finish.

"There's no way that this isn't number one on SportsCenter tomorrow," wrote White, calling on the viral sports video page with almost 20 million followers to feature the devastating knockout.

"If you didn't see it, go watch it right now. Beautiful knockout."

Viewers were also thrilled by Bahamondes. "Ignacio Bahamondes on Contender Series," said one. "Just front-kicked a fool into 2021."

"Wow," added another. "The Anderson Silva front kick. Maybe KO of the year for the Contender Series."

An MMA lover who agreed with the comparison wrote: "Damn. Ignacio Bahamondes wore Edson Gomez down with about 100 strikes, then a front kick KO in the face, Anderson Silva-style."

Bahamondes shared White's post and wrote "thank you, boss" while former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping could be heard lauding his talent on commentary duty.

"It's absolutely incredible," he said. "Just look at this - just wait for it.

"I'm not going to say a word. Look at that: out cold. He was looking for it all night.

"Just softening him up with those punches, not putting everything into it."

A skeptic alluded to Gomez's failure to make weight for the contest by pointing out: "This dude's opponent looks like someone that Dana pulled out of a local bar."

Bahamondes has previous form for winning via front kicks. He knocked out Rafael Carolino with a similar shot in the first round of their fight in 2016 as part of a professional record that now stands at 11 wins and three defeats.