Top 25 UFC Knockouts Since 2015

6. Joaquin Buckley vs. Impa Kasanganay

Immediately billed as the greatest knockout in UFC history, we’re not going to give it that status. It loses out on jeopardy points because it came in the prelims of UFC Fight Island 5 in Abu Dhabi in 2020. Buckley vs. Kasanganay was a very even fight until the finish came in the second round. When it arrived, nobody could believe what they just saw because Buckley produced a moment of epic brutality.

Here's Joaquin Buckley's incredible knockout in slow motion from a different angle 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Fj2ZYpfMX4

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) October 11, 2020

Buckley threw a kick which Kasanganay caught. But then, with one foot still in Kasanganay’s hand, Buckley spun and landed a ridiculous jumping back kick to his opponent’s chin. He went out like a light and hit the mat as his eyes rolled back in his head. Instantly, Buckley made a name for himself with a dynamic and creative KO. Do you think it deserves to be higher up this list?

5. Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo

Some will cry this doesn’t deserve to make our top five, but that totally removes the context of the situation. After one of the biggest buildups in the history of the sport, unbeaten featherweight champion Aldo faced off against upstart challenger, McGregor at UFC 194. ‘The Notorious’ played mind-games before the fight and promised to knock him out in the first round.

Knockout of the day UFC 194
Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo #MMATwitter pic.twitter.com/3fUCXGs46l

— Blue Corner Fighting (@blue_fighting) March 22, 2020

Aldo rushed in from the start and McGregor immediately countered with a stunning 13-second finish. Nobody could believe what they had just seen. It was the quickest knockout in UFC title fight history. The drama, excitement, and efficiency of this finish make it one of the most infamous ever. Nobody knew if McGregor could do it but he did.

4. Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas

Namajunas put on the performance of her life against Andrade. At least, until the Brazilian slammed her on her head. ‘Thug Rose’ was the strawweight champion and demonstrated some beautiful movement and slick striking against her challenger. It looked like she was on a different level to Andrade. However, the Brazilian had a trick up her sleeve.

The finish came about three minutes into the second round. As the pair moved into the clinch, Namajunas took a risk and attempted a flying armbar. Andrade used her opponent’s momentum against her to smash her head-first into the ground. It was a sickening KO as Namajunas’s head bounced off the mat. Andrade became the new champion in savage style.

3. Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem

This was the night that Francis Ngannou arrived. He fought against former DREAM, PRIDE, and K-1 champion Overeem in the co-main event of UFC 218. There are some spectacular knockouts on this list but none of them made us actually fear for the victim’s life like this one did. ‘The Predator’ demonstrated devastating raw power as he sent Overeem into the next world.

OOOOHHHH! Check out @JoeRogan's reaction to @Francis_Ngannou's insane KO against Overeem! pic.twitter.com/RT5qQQIH1c

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) February 15, 2019

Ngannou landed a ferocious uppercut that snapped Overeem’s neck back to a disgusting angle. The power and explosiveness of the Cameroonian fighter made him instantly the most feared fighter on the entire roster. Remarkably, Overeem recovered but he probably doesn’t remember much about it. It was definitely one of the most terrifying of all-time.

2. Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren

There was bad blood coming into this one. Askren rode the hype train into UFC 239 against Masvidal. The former ONE and Bellator champion was also a champion trash-talker. But he didn’t realize that his opponent was plotting his demise in the most brutal fashion. Finally, the pair faced off across from each other in the octagon. However, it didn’t last long.

Askren moved forward with his hands down, clearly looking for a takedown. Masvidal fully expected this. He charged across the cage and landed a stunning flying knee. It was the fastest knockout in UFC history at just five seconds. Even though, Askren was out for the count, ‘Gamebred’ still followed up with a couple of heavy hammer-fists. According to the Cuban-American, they were ‘super necessary.’

1. Yair Rodriguez vs. Korean Zombie

Chan Sung Jung was literally about to win this fight before Rodriguez stunned the world. Their clash took place in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in Denver, Colorado. Both men had their moments throughout the fight. But the Korean Zombie’s compact boxing style had the edge over Rodriguez’s flashy, kick-heavy style. But then suddenly it ended.

With a single second left on the clock, Zombie moved forward aggressively. His Mexican opponent sprung a back-upward elbow that connected perfectly with the Korean’s chin. He went down like a sack of coal and Rodriguez won the fight. In sum, this was arguably the greatest UFC knockout of all-time. The last-second drama and the spectacular nature of the finish make it iconic.