UFC legend suffers vicious knockout in final career bout (VIDEO)

Frankie Edgar went out on his shield at UFC 281

Frankie Edgar’s final career bout didn't quite go as he hoped as the former UFC lightweight champion suffered a devastating knockout at the hands (or knee, more aptly) of rival Chris Gutierrez during Saturday night’s UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

New Jersey native Edgar, 41, was fighting for the final time in a 36-fight career which brought him UFC gold but also a reputation as one of the sport's most durable champions – but recent results have indicated that that his chin isn't quite as iron as it once was, and that was again evident inside the opening round in the Big Apple when Gutierrez found a home for a flying knee strike which collapsed Edgar backwards to the canvas.

The end came just over two minutes inside the opening round and was Edgar’s fourth knockout loss in his final five fights, and immediately sucked the air out of a fiercely pro-Edgar crowd paying tribute to the Octagon icon in his last battle in the cage.

And while Edgar’s Hall of Fame career ended on a sour note, the battle-hardened veteran made clear that he doesn't regret even one moment of the near eight hours he spent in the UFC's cage.

CHRIS GUTIERREZ KNOCKS OUT FRANKIE EDGAR pic.twitter.com/bvLIKf3tIS

— FULL SEND (@fullsend) November 13, 2022

Not the way he wanted to end it, but tonight @FrankieEdgar closes the book on a legendary career inside the Octagon