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Nothing thrills MMA fans more than watching two fighters clinching against the cage, sweaty arms wrapped around each other’s sweaty backs for minutes at a time, right? If we can’t watch a fight unfold in that manner, how about the joy found in round after round of jabs being exchanged, piling up points on the scorecards as the clock ticks down?
No, neither of those scenarios is what gets fans out of their seats. What gets the arena rocking, of course, is a massive punch or vicious kick to the noggin that produces a knockout.
The fighters who deliver those dizzying finishes are the sport’s crowd-pleasers. There are some in every weight class, from brawny heavyweights down to sinewy strawweights. Who are the best at producing those heart-thumping results? ESPN’s experts took a swing at naming the most masterful knockout artists of each division in the sport.
Editor’s note: ESPN’s voting panel consisted of Hale, Okamoto, Wagenheim, Megan Anderson, Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Dre Waters and Eddie Maisonet.
Heavyweight: Tom Aspinall
Most memorable KO: First-round KO vs. Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 on Nov. 11, 2023
Okamoto: All heavyweights have knockout power. They don’t all have speed. That’s what makes Aspinall so different. Ask any expert in the game, and they’ll tell you that Aspinall’s speed sets him apart in these exchanges. Technically, he’s incredibly skillful, so don’t sell that part of his game short — but it’s the hand speed that is clipping guys when they’re not expecting it, from angles they don’t feel coming. You think about some of the heaviest hitters in heavyweight history — Francis Ngannou, Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos, Sergei Pavlovich — Aspinall’s physique is quite different, which is just another nod to how devastating his speed is.
Others receiving votes: Francis Ngannou, Sergei Pavlovich, Derrick Lewis
Light Heavyweight: Alex Pereira
Most memorable KO: First-round KO vs. Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 on Apr. 13, 2024
Hale: Was there another realistic answer? Outside of his light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz, “Poatan” has obliterated the opposition. A pair of devastating knockouts against the man who would have probably topped this list (JiYí Procházka) and a highlight reel decimation of Jamahal Hill, where he shrugged off a low blow and responded with a left hook that Hill is still complaining about. When one of your opponents accuses you of using magic to finish your opponents, you must be doing something right.
Others receiving votes: None
Middleweight: Israel Adesanya
Most memorable KO: Second-round KO vs. Alex Pereira at UFC 287 on Apr. 8, 2023
Wagenheim: Adesanya has knocked down UFC opponents 13 times, by far the most among active middleweights. Among his five KOs are a few especially memorable ones that earned him his two reigns with the belt: the 2019 KO that dethroned Robert Whittaker and last year’s turn-the-tables knockout that essentially sent Alex Pereira to light heavyweight. The only other fighter with multiple votes is the current champ, Du Plessis, who will stack up his power against Adesanya’s when they meet Aug. 18.
Others receiving votes: Dricus Du Plessis, Robert Whittaker, Gregory Rodrigues
Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley
Most memorable KO: Second-round KO vs. Impa Kasanganay at UFC Fight Night on Oct. 11, 2020
Okamoto: Creativity and mindset contribute heavily to Buckley’s knockout power. He does seem to be one of those guys who were just born with “natural power,” especially as he’s honed his frame in at 170 pounds (he fought at 185 pounds until 2022). However, in addition to his physical gifts, Buckley’s approach is made for KOs. He’s talked about mimicking moves that he picked up in action films. He prioritizes winning, of course, but has also made it clear he doesn’t fear losing. That translates into a willingness to take risks and sit in the pocket during fights. If you take a physical boxer-wrestler and add in a mentality of wanting to entertain and be aggressive, Buckley is what you get. One of the most viral KOs in UFC history, over Kasanaganay, is what you get.
Others receiving votes: Vicente Luque
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje
Most memorable KO: Second-round KO vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 on Jul. 29, 2023
Hale: “The Highlight” has been an absolute menace to the opposition, even before his arrival in the UFC. Twenty of his 25 wins have come by knockout and how he separates his opponents from their consciousness has left people in awe. He ravaged Tony Ferguson until his face couldn’t take anymore and sent James Vick reeling to the canvas courtesy of a right hand was equally wicked. But it was the right head kick that crumbled Dustin Poirier that may end up being his most impressive finish.
Others receiving votes: Dustin Poirier
Women’s featherweight: Cris Cyborg
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Flashback to Cris Cyborg’s Round 1 TKO at Bellator 300
Take a look back at Cris Cyborg’s dominant first-round knockout in her featherweight title defense over Cat Zingano at Bellator 300.
Most memorable KO: First-round KO vs. Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 on Oct. 7, 2023
Wagenheim: Was there ever any doubt? “Cyborg” Justino has always been the gold standard for knockout power in women’s MMA. During a 19-year pro career that has seen her reign as champion in Invicta, Strikeforce, the UFC, and now Bellator, Cyborg has 27 victories, 21 of which have come by knockout. No other woman received a vote because no woman in the sport-past or present-can match Cyborg’s punching prowess.
Others receiving votes: None
Men’s featherweight: Max Holloway (3) and Ilia Topuria (3)
Most memorable KO: Holloway’s fifth-round KO vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 on Apr. 13, 2024
Wagenheim: Maybe we should put something extra on the line when Holloway challenges Topuria on Oct. 26. In addition to the UFC featherweight championship, how about we also break a tie and proclaim the winner as the top KO artist at 145 pounds. That can be the case, of course, only if the guy who walks out of the cage with the belt has secured the win via knockout. And it’ll be a significant achievement if it happens, as Topuria is undefeated and Holloway has never been knocked out in 33 pro fights.
Others receiving votes: Josh Emmett
Women’s bantamweight: Irene Aldana
Most memorable KO: First-round KO vs. Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245 on Dec. 14, 2019
Okamoto: The contributors to Aldana’s knockout power are very straightforward. She has dedicated tons of hours to her primary craft of boxing. Timing, technique and accuracy are her three biggest weapons for knockout shots. She’s unlike Amanda Nunes, who would overwhelm opponents with fastballs from the opening bell. And she’s not like Holly Holm, who prefers more of a point-fighting style from long range. Aldana will mix it up, and when she’s in the pocket, her boxing will often shine against any opponent willing to meet her there.
Others receiving votes: Macy Chiasson, Germaine de Randamie
Men’s bantamweight: Sean O’Malley
Most memorable KO: Second-round TKO vs. Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 on Aug. 19, 2023
Okamoto: There are plenty of highlights to choose from on O’Malley’s reel, in terms of coming up with the most memorable. Ultimately, it’s hard to pick any above his first with the UFC, on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2017, although technically he wasn’t a UFC fighter just yet. (You know, the one that made White and guest commentator Snoop Dogg unhinged in the broadcast booth.) O’Malley’s KO presence comes from intelligence, speed and technique. He sets traps and capitalizes on them. He’s tactically a step ahead of his opponents, which results in KO opportunities. He knows how to get the most out of his height and length advantages in the division. He’s also extremely calm. No wasted energy in anything O’Malley does, which means 100 percent of his energy gets transferred into his target when he lands.
Others receiving votes: None
Women’s Flyweight: Valentina Shevchenko and Dakota Ditcheva, tie
Most memorable KO: Shevchenko’s second-round KO vs. Jessica Eye at UFC 238 on Jun. 9, 2019
Hale: Pick your poison: Valentina Shevchenko torching the flyweight division from 2018 to 2022, punctuated with a nasty head kick knockout of Jessica Eye, or Dakota Ditcheva’s recent savagery that has seen her knock out seven of her previous eight opponents, including a paralyzing body punch knockout of Cornelia Holm? It’s a toss-up as to why they are tied atop the list. Shevchenko has wrecked championship-level competition, but Ditcheva has been a freight train that relentlessly runs over her competition.
Others receiving votes: Jessica Andrade
Men’s Flyweight: Kyoji Horiguchi
WOW #RIZIN10 pic.twitter.com/Q5StvGr3O9
— TrillerTV (@FiteTV) May 6, 2018
Most memorable KO: First-round KO vs. Ian McCall at RIZIN 10 on May 6, 2018
Hale: Flyweights aren’t necessarily known for their finishing prowess, but Horiguchi has consistently wowed with his ability to sit his opponents down at any given moment. He’s had his fair share of finishes, but the 9 seconds it took him to wipe out Ian McCall with the first punch he threw cemented his place on top of the list. And nobody else is particularly close.
Others receiving votes: None
Strawweight: Amanda Lemos
Most memorable KO: Third-round TKO vs. Marina Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night on Nov. 5, 2022
Wagenheim: Lemos has just three knockouts in the UFC but has shown off her power with six knockdowns, more than any other strawweight in the promotion’s history. She earned one more vote than Andrade, who has twice as many KOs inside the Octagon, although two came at flyweight. Andrade scored perhaps the most famous and scariest KO in strawweight history, when she slammed Rose Namajunas on her head in 2019 to win the UFC championship.
Others receiving votes: Jessica Andrade