MIXED MARTIAL ARTS fans fumed at Daichi Abe after he landed a brutal soccer kick on his already knocked out opponent.

The former UFC welterweight flatlined Brazilian Marcos Yoshio de Souza in the second round of their 176lb showdown at RIZIN 37 late last month.

Abe shut De Souza's lights off with a picture-perfect one-two in the second round of their showdown at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

De Souza crumpled to the canvas after the right hand connected and lay flat on his back unconscious.

But Abe didn't stop there, launching into and landing a brutal soccer kick straight on the fallen and defenceless De Souza.

And fight fans were far from happy with the sickening academic strike.

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One tweeted: "Soccer kick def uncalled for. Guy should be ashamed."

Another said: "I’m all for soccer kicks, but IDK about when the dude is already f*****g knocked out."

And another said: "Unfortunately… this is legal."

Soccer kicks are illegal in most MMA promotions across the world including the UFC, which has adopted the unified rules of the sport.

But the sickening strikes – as well as knees to the head of a downed opponent – are legal in Asian-based fight promotions ONE Championship and RIZIN.

Several fans, however, have called for the strikes to be allowed in all promotions.

One fan said: "Best rule set in MMA."

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Another said: "MMA needs soccer kicks and knees to a downed opponent. The Unified MMA rules is garbage."

Victory over De Souza saw 30-year-old Abe move to 5-1 in his last six outings.

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