Top 10 UFC knockouts of all-time: Conor McGregor’s 13-second finish to head kick that left Ronda Rousey out cold
UFC knockouts come in a variety of vicious ways and over the years fans have seen fighters get knocked out in every manner imaginable. From powerful punches to karate kicks and everything in between, there have been countless KOs fans have hailed as the best of all time. Holm scored one of the biggest upsets of all time at UFC 193Getty talkSPORT.com has here put together a list of 10 KOs that stand out from the rest after 30 years of sickening stoppages in MMA’s premier league. UFC greats such as Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou and Max Holloway make the list but who comes out on top? 10. Ronda Rousey vs Holly Holm | UFC 193 Holm literally kicks off our list with her stunning second-round KO win over Rousey. ‘Rowdy’ was the biggest star on the roster and a massive favourite to defend her bantamweight belt before being put to sleep by a Holm head kick in November 2015. And that seemed to derail Rousey’s career as she lost her unbeaten record in the UFC. She would go on to lose her next fight against Amadan Nunes and then left the organisation to join WWE. 9. Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards | UFC 278 Edwards lived up to his nickname during his second fight with Usman in September 2022. ‘Rocky’ was down on the cards and being written off by the commentators before KO’ing Usman with a last-gasp head kick to become Britain’s second UFC champion. He said defiantly after the knockout: “You all doubted, said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now! Headshot. Dead. That’s it.” Edwards remains the UFC Welterweight title holder to this day after defending his belt twice, with one of those against Usman again. Edwards shocked the world when he KO’d UsmanGetty 8. Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping | UFC 100 Bisping was made to pay for trash-talking Henderson when he walked into his signature ‘H-Bomb’ at the UFC’s first century-celebrating show in July 2009. Henderson followed his unconscious rival to the floor and famously landed another massive blow before making the KO his logo. Bisping has since called his opponent at UFC 100 the hardest hitter he ever faced in the octagon. Although he did admit he had no recollection of the punch! Bisping was on the receiving end of a famous UFC KOGetty Images - Getty 7. Alistair Overeem vs Francis Ngannou | UFC 218 Ngannou’s ‘world record’ power was best captured during his December 2017 fight with Overeem. The 6ft 4in, 18 stone heavyweight legend was sent flying through the air by an uppercut KO that still goes viral every time Ngannou fights. He may have had another iconic knockout after switching to the boxing ring too a few years later… But Tyson Fury managed to get back up during their crossover bout. Overeem is constantly reminded of his loss to Ngannougetty 6. Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort | UFC 126 Silva’s historic middleweight title reign was filled with showstopping moments but none of them were better than his finish against Belfort in February 2011. ‘The Spider’ pulled off the UFC’s first frontkick KO against one of the most formidable opponents he ever faced. He caught Belfort square on in the face with the flat of his foot and that got the job done in the octagon. Silva’s front kick KO of Belfort is iconicGetty - Contributor 5. Max Holloway vs Justin Gaethje | UFC 300 Holloway scored a faceplant finish against Gaethje in the final second of their BMF fight. It left plenty of people thinking he was the new owner of the sport’s greatest KO in the immediate aftermath of UFC 300. Gaethje was up on the scorecards in the fifth round, but he was knocked clean out by a massive overhand right. And with one second on the clock, mass celebration followed as the referee waved the fight off. Holloway faceplanted Gaethje with one second left on the clockGetty 4. Jose Aldo vs Conor McGregor | UFC 194 McGregor turned doubters into believers and catapulted himself to superstardom with this KO. ‘Notorious’ wiped out the best featherweight of all time in 13 seconds to become the undisputed 145lb king in December 2015. He left Aldo slumped on the canvas almost straight after the opening bell and no one will forget watching that moment. The KO and the resulting celebration have gone down in UFC legend. One shot was all McGregor needed to end Aldo’s decade-long winning streakGetty Images 3. Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim | UFC 142 Barboza scored the first spinning wheel kick finish 12 years ago when he turned Liverpool fighter Etim into a statue. Up until the eventual finish, Etim and Barboza had gone toe to toe in a brilliant stand-up battle. But the Brazilian stole the show with an explosive kick that connected perfectly on the heel and knocked his opponent out cold. The KO immediately booked an eternal spot in the UFC’s highlight reel. Barboza said the knockout changed his lifeGetty 2. Impa Kasangnay vs Joaquin Buckley | UFC Fight N
UFC knockouts come in a variety of vicious ways and over the years fans have seen fighters get knocked out in every manner imaginable.
From powerful punches to karate kicks and everything in between, there have been countless KOs fans have hailed as the best of all time.
talkSPORT.com has here put together a list of 10 KOs that stand out from the rest after 30 years of sickening stoppages in MMA’s premier league.
UFC greats such as Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou and Max Holloway make the list but who comes out on top?
10. Ronda Rousey vs Holly Holm | UFC 193
Holm literally kicks off our list with her stunning second-round KO win over Rousey.
‘Rowdy’ was the biggest star on the roster and a massive favourite to defend her bantamweight belt before being put to sleep by a Holm head kick in November 2015.
And that seemed to derail Rousey’s career as she lost her unbeaten record in the UFC.
She would go on to lose her next fight against Amadan Nunes and then left the organisation to join WWE.
9. Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards | UFC 278
Edwards lived up to his nickname during his second fight with Usman in September 2022.
‘Rocky’ was down on the cards and being written off by the commentators before KO’ing Usman with a last-gasp head kick to become Britain’s second UFC champion.
He said defiantly after the knockout: “You all doubted, said I couldn’t do it. Look at me now! Headshot. Dead. That’s it.”
Edwards remains the UFC Welterweight title holder to this day after defending his belt twice, with one of those against Usman again.
8. Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping | UFC 100
Bisping was made to pay for trash-talking Henderson when he walked into his signature ‘H-Bomb’ at the UFC’s first century-celebrating show in July 2009.
Henderson followed his unconscious rival to the floor and famously landed another massive blow before making the KO his logo.
Bisping has since called his opponent at UFC 100 the hardest hitter he ever faced in the octagon.
Although he did admit he had no recollection of the punch!
7. Alistair Overeem vs Francis Ngannou | UFC 218
Ngannou’s ‘world record’ power was best captured during his December 2017 fight with Overeem.
The 6ft 4in, 18 stone heavyweight legend was sent flying through the air by an uppercut KO that still goes viral every time Ngannou fights.
He may have had another iconic knockout after switching to the boxing ring too a few years later…
But Tyson Fury managed to get back up during their crossover bout.
6. Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort | UFC 126
Silva’s historic middleweight title reign was filled with showstopping moments but none of them were better than his finish against Belfort in February 2011.
‘The Spider’ pulled off the UFC’s first frontkick KO against one of the most formidable opponents he ever faced.
He caught Belfort square on in the face with the flat of his foot and that got the job done in the octagon.
5. Max Holloway vs Justin Gaethje | UFC 300
Holloway scored a faceplant finish against Gaethje in the final second of their BMF fight.
It left plenty of people thinking he was the new owner of the sport’s greatest KO in the immediate aftermath of UFC 300.
Gaethje was up on the scorecards in the fifth round, but he was knocked clean out by a massive overhand right.
And with one second on the clock, mass celebration followed as the referee waved the fight off.
4. Jose Aldo vs Conor McGregor | UFC 194
McGregor turned doubters into believers and catapulted himself to superstardom with this KO.
‘Notorious’ wiped out the best featherweight of all time in 13 seconds to become the undisputed 145lb king in December 2015.
He left Aldo slumped on the canvas almost straight after the opening bell and no one will forget watching that moment.
The KO and the resulting celebration have gone down in UFC legend.
3. Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim | UFC 142
Barboza scored the first spinning wheel kick finish 12 years ago when he turned Liverpool fighter Etim into a statue.
Up until the eventual finish, Etim and Barboza had gone toe to toe in a brilliant stand-up battle.
But the Brazilian stole the show with an explosive kick that connected perfectly on the heel and knocked his opponent out cold.
The KO immediately booked an eternal spot in the UFC’s highlight reel.
2. Impa Kasangnay vs Joaquin Buckley | UFC Fight Night 179
Buckley’s spinning kick KO of Kasangnay in October 2020 was so epic it earned presidential praise from Donald Trump.
And it even inspired Kanye West to write new music.
In the second round, Buckley went for a head kick which was caught by Kasanganay.
But as he attempted to parry the kick away, Buckley twisted around and landed a miraculous back-kick that saw Kasanganay freeze and then plummet to the canvas.
Many people will have it at the top of their UFC KO list, but it just missed out on ours.
1. Jorge Masvidal vs Ben Askren | UFC 239
Masvidal ended his beef with Askren in the most devastating way possible.
Innovative and unexpected, ‘Gambred’ caught his rival slipping and KO’d him with a flying knee in five seconds.
After setting a near unbreakable quickest UFC KO record, Masvidal added insult to injury by mocking Askren as he lay stiff as a board on the floor.
It’s certainly the fastest KO ever, but we think it’s the best too.
Honourable mentions: Michael Chander def. Tony Ferguson, Lyoto Machida def. Randy Couture, Cheick Kongo def. Pat Barry, Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg.
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