The ultimate way to win a fight. Because winning is great, but doing it so in emphatic fashion and leaving fans in awe is better. Spectacular, shocking, brutal, here are MMA's greatest knockouts, based on the aforementioned criterias but also the significance, because jaw-dropping knockouts pretty much happen every week-end all over the world, but the truly special ones remain those delivered at the highest level, against elite fighters, on the the grandest stage, the ones that will live on forever.
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1
- Usman vs. Edwards II
- Leon Edwards in round 5
- 2022 | UFC 278
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Down 3-1 on all scorecards with one minute left in the final round, Leon Edwards pulls off a knockout/comeback for the ages, landing a perfectly set-up left head kick to dethrone pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman in a shocker, completing his "Rocky" story and delivering an all-time great post-fight promo. "Pound-for-pound, head shot, dead, that's it."
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2
- Askren vs. Masvidal
- Jorge Masvidal in round 1
- 2019 | UFC 239
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On his path of resurrection, Jorge Masvidal delivers the ultimate star-making knockout, obliterating the undefeated Ben Askren with a running flying knee in record-breaking time to settle the heated rivalry after months of bad blood and outlandish trash talk from Askren.
🎬 https://youtu.be/NxhfFWgDDEg?t=169
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3
- Aldo vs. McGregor
- Conor McGregor in round 1
- 2015 | UFC 194
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🎬 https://youtu.be/3mPPMCa8Nxw?t=460
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4
- Gonzaga vs. Filipović
- Gabriel Gonzaga in round 1
- 2007 | UFC 70
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Irony in its most cruel and brutal form strikes as the legendary Mirko Cro Co gets a taste of his own medicine, getting brutally knocked out by BJJ black belt Gabriel Gonzaga with a head kick in one of sports most shocking upsets ever, crushing the Croatian icon's title hopes and spoiling a dream fight between him and Randy Couture in the process.
🎬 https://youtu.be/moJEqRpMHxw?t=294
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5
- Jung vs. Rodriguez
- Yair Rodriguez in round 5
- 2018 | UFC Fight Night 139
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Down on all three judges scorecards, Yair Rodriguez pulls out the ultimate Hail Mary, and does it in the most jaw-dropping fashion, knocking out The Korean Zombie with a baffling no-look-upward-back-elbow at the final buzzer to put a dramatic end to an already great battle, marking the UFC's 25th anniversary with a bang.
🎬 https://youtu.be/1lPnWU9DLG8
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6
- Gaethje vs. Holloway
- Max Holloway in round 5
- 2024 | UFC 300
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7
- Rousey vs. Holm
- Holly Holm in round 2
- 2015 | UFC 193
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In front of a record breaking attendance of 56.214 fans in Melbourne, 8-to-1 underdog Holly Holm shocks the world, toying and embarrassing women's MMA's emblematic figure Ronda Rousey before knocking her out with a brutal head kick in the second round in a stunning upset.
🎬 ▸ https://youtu.be/WTuJB3S5kTw?t=28
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8
- Henderson vs. Bisping
- Dan Henderson in round 2
- 2009 | UFC 100
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🎬 https://youtu.be/qxfg8iGwskA?t=411
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9
- Gustafsson vs. Teixeira
- Alexander Gustafsson in round 5
- 2017 | UFC Fight Night 109
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🎬 https://youtu.be/7iIw1hEN6p8?t=156
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10
- Overeem vs. NGannou
- Francis NGannou in round 1
- 2017 | UFC 218
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🎬 https://youtu.be/jLqyRdwDzBQ?t=169
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11
- Barry vs. Kongo
- Cheick Kongo in round 1 | UFC on Versus 4
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12
- Usman vs. Masvidal II
- Kamaru Usman in round 2 | UFC 261
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13
- Silva vs. Belfort
- Anderson Silva in round 1 | UFC 126
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🎬 https://youtu.be/c96FlEr1V20?t=189
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14
- Jackson vs. Arona
- Quinton Jackson in round 1 | Pride Critical Countdown 2004
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https://youtu.be/Gez7S29ejDc?t=59
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15
- Reyes vs. Procházka
- Jiří Procházka in round 2 | UFC Fight Night
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16
- Chandler vs. Ferguson
- Michael Chandler in round 2 | UFC 274
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17
- Johnson vs. Teixeira
- Anthony Johnson in round 1 | UFC 202
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18
- Assunção vs. Garbrandt
- Cody Garbrandt in round 2 | UFC 250
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19
- Thompson vs. Pettis
- Anthony Pettis in round 2 | UFC on ESPN+ 6
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20
- Miocic vs. NGannou II
- Francis NGannou in round 2 | UFC 260
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21
- Cyborg vs. Nunes
- Amanda Nunes in round 1 | UFC 232
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22
- Silva vs. Jackson II
- Wanderlei Silva in round 2 | Pride 28
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23
- Silva vs. Weidman
- Chris Weidman in round 2 | UFC 162
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24
- Rockhold vs. Bisping II
- Michael Bisping in round 1 | UFC 199
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25
- Kasanganay vs. Buckley
- Joaquin Buckley in round 2 | UFC Fight Night
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26
- Barboza vs. Etim
- Edson Barboza in round 3 | UFC 142
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https://youtu.be/FVKOfa0456Y?t=166
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27
- Barboza vs. Dariush
- Edson Barboza in round 2 | UFC Fight Night 106
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28
- Vannata vs. Makdessi
- Lando Vannata in round 1 | UFC 206
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29
- Machida vs. Belfort
- Lyoto Machida in round 2 | UFC 224
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30
- Couture vs. Machida
- Lyoto Machida in round 2 | UFC 129
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31
- Rodriguez vs. Fili
- Yair Rodriguez in round 2 | UFC 197
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32
- Shevchenko vs. Eye
- Valentina Shevchenko in round 2 | UFC 238
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33
- Liddell vs. Evans
- Rashad Evans in round 2 | UFC 88
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34
- Griffin vs. Silva
- Anderson Silva in round 1 | UFC 101
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35
- Overeem vs. Silva
- Antônio Silva in round 3 | UFC 156
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36
- Jackson vs. Silva III
- Quinton Jackson in round 1 | UFC 92
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37
- Manuwa vs. Rakić
- Aleksandar Rakić in round 1 | UFC on ESPN+ 11
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38
- St. Preux vs. Anderson
- Ovince St. Preux in round 3 | UFC 217
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39
- Hathaway vs. Kim
- Dong Hyun Kim in round 3 | UFC Fight Night
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40
- Lee vs. Gillespie
- Kevin Lee in round 1 | UFC 244
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41
- Zhang vs. Namajunas
- Rose Namajunas in round 1 | UFC 261
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42
- Evans vs. Machida
- Lyoto Machida in round 2 | UFC 98
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43
- Lamas vs. Emmett
- Josh Emmett in round 1 | UFC on FOX 26
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44
- Emmett vs. Johnson
- Josh Emmett in round 3 | UFC on ESPN 2
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45
- Miocic vs. Cormier
- Daniel Cormier in round 1 | UFC 226
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46
- Rockhold vs. Romero
- Yoel Romero in round 3 | UFC 221
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47
- Rockhold vs. Błachowicz
- Jan Błachowicz in round 2 | UFC 239
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48
- Edgar vs. Ortega
- Brian Ortega in round 1 | UFC 222
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49
- Till vs. Masvidal
- Jorge Masvidal in round 2 | UFC on ESPN+ 5
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50
- Struve vs. Browne
- Travis Browne in round 1 | UFC 130
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51
- Silva vs. Filipović II
- Mirko Filipović in round 1 | Pride Final Conflict Absolute
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52
- Hunt vs. Nelson
- Mark Hunt in round 2 | UFC Fight Night 52
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53
- Castillo vs. Felder
- Paul Felder in round 2 | UFC 182
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54
- Makdessi vs. Watson
- John Makdessi in round 3 | UFC 129
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55
- Henderson vs. Lombard
- Dan Henderson in round 2 | UFC 199
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56
- Bossé vs. Santos
- Thiago Santos in round 1 | UFC Fight Night 70
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57
- Arlovski vs. Emelianenko
- Fedor Emelianenko in round 1 | Affliction 2
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58
- Fitch vs. Hendricks
- Johny Hendricks in round 1 | UFC 141
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59
- Daley vs. Smith
- Paul Daley in round 1 | Strikeforce
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60
- Stout vs. Edwards
- Sam Stout in round 1 | UFC 131
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61
- Hardy vs. Condit
- Carlos Condit in round 1 | UFC 120
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62
- Cerrone vs. Brown
- Donald Cerrone in round 3 | UFC 206
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63
- Ellenberger vs. Perry
- Mike Perry in round 2 | UFC Fight Night 108
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64
- Filipović vs. Vovchanchyn
- Mirko Filipović in round 1 | Pride Total Elimination 2003
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65
- Yvel vs. Goodridge
- Gilbert Yvel in round 1 | Pride 10
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66
- Hendricks vs. Kampmann
- Johny Hendricks in round 1 | UFC 154
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67
- Stephens vs. dos Anjos
- Jeremy Stephens in round 3 | UFC 91
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68
- Almeida vs. Pickett
- Thomas Almeida in round 2 | UFC 189
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69
- Condit vs. Kim
- Carlos Condit in round 1 | UFC 132
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70
- Aldo vs. Swanson
- José Aldo in round 1 | WEC 41
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71
- Weidman vs. Romero
- Yoel Romero in round 3 | UFC 205
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72
- Belfort vs. Rockhold
- Vitor Belfort in round 1 | UFC on FX 8
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73
- Pettis vs. Lauzon
- Anthony Pettis in round 1 | UFC 144
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74
- Brown vs. Sanchez
- Matt Brown in round 1 | UFC Fight Night 120
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75
- Stittgen vs. Thompson
- Stephen Thompson in round 1 | UFC 143
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76
- Edwards vs. Thomson
- Yves Edwards in round 1 | UFC 49
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77
- Varner vs. Trujillo
- Abel Trujillo in round 2 | UFC 169
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78
- O'Malley vs. Wineland
- Sean O'Malley in round 1 | UFC 250
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79
- Oezdemir vs. Procházka
- Jiří Procházka in round 2 | UFC 251
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80
- Manhoef vs. Schilling
- Joe Schilling in round 2 | Bellator 131
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81
- Schilling vs. Kato
- Hisaki Kato in round 2 | Bellator 139
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82
- Mir vs. Duffee
- Frank Mir in round 1 | UFC Fight Night 71
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83
- Andrade vs. Kowalkiewicz
- Jéssica Andrade in round 1 | UFC 228
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84
- Chimaev vs. Meerschaert
- Khamzat Chimaev in round 1 | UFC Fight Night
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85
- Franklin vs. Quarry
- Rich Franklin in round 1 | UFC 56
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86
- Franklin vs. Le
- Cung Le in round 1 | UFC on FUEL TV 6
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87
- Liddell vs. Franklin
- Rich Franklin in round 1 | UFC 115
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88
- Henderson vs. Silva II
- Dan Henderson in round 3 | Pride 33
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89
- Ellenberger vs. Thompson
- Stephen Thompson in round 1 | The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale
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90
- dos Santos vs. Werdum
- Junior dos Santos in round 1 | UFC 90
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91
- Edgar vs. Mendes
- Frankie Edgar in round 1 | The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale
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92
- Hunt vs. Mir
- Mark Hunt in round 1 | UFC Fight Night 85
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93
- Beal vs. Williams
- Chris Beal in round 2 | UFC 172
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94
- Garza vs. Paixão
- Pablo Garza in round 1 | The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale
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95
- Irvin vs. Martin
- James Irvin in round 2 | UFC 54
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96
- Evans vs. Salmon
- Rashad Evans in round 2 | UFC Fight Night 8
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97
- Silva vs. Sakuraba III
- Wanderlei Silva in round 1 | Pride Total Elimination 2003
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98
- Williams vs. Coleman
- Pete Williams in round 1 | UFC 17
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99
- Baroni vs. Menne
- Phil Baroni in round 1 | UFC 39
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100
- Vovchanchyn vs. Bueno
- Igor Vovchanchyn in round 1 | Pride 8
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101
- Nogueira vs. Velasquez
- Cain Velasquez in round 1 | UFC 110
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102
- Camacho vs. Neal
- Geoff Neal in round 2 | UFC 228
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103
- Hughes vs. Newton I
- Matt Hughes in round 2 | UFC 34
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104
- Razak Alhassan vs. Homasi II
- Abdul Razak Alhassan in round 1 | UFC 220
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105
- Jimmo vs. Perosh
- Ryan Jimmo in round 1 | UFC 149
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106
- Jung vs. Hominick
- Chan Sung Jung in round 1 | UFC 140
My Summary