Sparring sessions are meant to provide a controlled environment to sharpen skills. But that doesn’t mean they’re free of risk—especially when punches and kicks start flying. Something similar unfolded recently at the Syndicate Mixed Martial Arts gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC’s No. 10–ranked women’s bantamweight was working with a male training partner when things took an unexpected turn. Who?

Well, it was none other than undefeated [in the UFC] bantamweight Jacqueline Cavalcanti, who is fresh off her unanimous decision win over Mayra Bueno Silva on November 9. A clip recently shared by Full Send MMA captured the moment at her gym, where Cavalcanti was sparring with an unidentified training partner. But a perfectly timed left knee to the face sent him crashing down, turning a routine session into a viral moment.

Cavalcanti’s counter from hell

“Undefeated UFC women’s bantamweight Jacqueline Cavalcanti was sparring recently and landed a perfectly placed knee that accidentally put her male training partner on the canvas and had him shaking things out afterwards,” Full Send MMA wrote on X alongside the clip. Meanwhile, the clip showed Cavalcanti firing off a combination before her sparring partner dipped low to grab her leg. 

But he was caught off guard when Cavalcanti countered with a sharp left knee that landed square on his face. The impact sent him falling backward onto the canvas as the 28-year-old immediately moved in to check on him. Despite the brutal-looking shot, he didn’t appear to be knocked out cold—just dazed by the unexpected strike.

Cavalcanti joined the UFC in September 2023, debuting against Zarah Fairn after winning an LFA title. Since then, the Brazilian-Portuguese bantamweight has put together an impressive 5-0 record. At 28, she’s the youngest fighter in the women’s bantamweight top-10 and is widely seen as one of the division’s most promising prospects.

The division is currently led by champion Kayla Harrison, who is set to defend her title against Amanda Nunes at UFC 324. Still, despite Cavalcanti’s rising stock, fans weren’t exactly impressed with the viral sparring clip.

Jacqueline Cavalcanti is accused of ego-training

Unlike reactions after usual knockouts, Jacqueline Cavalcanti’s knockout received a lukewarm welcome. One user downplayed her skills. “The right shot with enough power to the chin can KO anyone,” the user wrote. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, she hasn’t been able to score a knockout in the Octagon. 

The next user defended the male sparring partner. “For anyone questioning dude’s chin, when it’s perfectly placed, there’s literally nothing you can do. [The] system just gets overridden, doesn’t matter how good your chin is,” the user commented. From the looks of the clip, the sparring partner went low to grab her leg at the wrong time. 

Meanwhile, this user blamed Cavalcanti for overdoing it in sparring. “Ego training, why are you throwing a full power knee without pulling it in sparring?” the user wrote. But it didn’t look intentional. And things can get heated during sparring, even when the intention isn’t to hurt anyone. 

Another user decided to poke fun at the Brazilian-Portuguese fighter. “So [Jacqueline Cavalcanti] is only capable of finishing someone in the gym?” the user asked sarcastically. She has scored knockouts in the past, but it was during her stint in other promotions. 

Someone else took things a little further, accusing Cavalcanti of staging the entire thing. “Worst part is he was the only one wearing headgear.. Probably staged,” the user commented. However, there’s nothing to prove the accusation. 

Having said that, it appears Jacqueline Cavalcanti will have to replicate that knockout in the Octagon to get in the good graces of the fans. But what did you make of the KO?