Major UFC KO Moments of 2024: Ranking the Year's Biggest Punch-Outs
Blood-Soaked Triumphs in the Cage
Mixed martial arts warriors have spun their masterpieces on the battlefield, proving their worth in the ultimate combat sport spectacle. In 2022, new champions emerged, contenders solidified their standing, and legends solidified their legacies.
Brace yourself for the 10 most unforgettable knockouts in the UFC this year:
10: French Fried Fury
Fares Ziam sent shockwaves across the UFC universe with one of the most devastating knees in history. At UFC Paris in September, Ziam caught veteran Matt Frevola with a lethal strike, flooring him with two follow-up shots in the third round.
9: St. Louis Standoff
In their St. Louis prelim fight in May, Esteban Ribovics and Terrance McKinney took each other by storm. Ribovics emerged victorious in just 40 seconds with a crushing headkick that left McKinney unable to continue.
8: Diamond in the Rough
UFC 299 saw Dustin Poirier square off against "The God of War" Benoit Saint Denis - and Poirier left as the last man standing. Saint Denis, unbeaten in the UFC and fresh off a string of five finishes, met his match against the legendary "The Diamond." Poirier floored the Frenchman with a tight right hook and follow-up punch.
7: East Meets West
The maiden Road to UFC strawweight tournament winner, Shi Ming, knocked out Feng Xiaocan with an awe-inspiring third-round headkick at UFC Macau in November. Feng lay unconscious for several minutes before being stretchered out of the Octagon.
6: The Art of Destruction
Jon Jones retained his heavyweight title at UFC 309 in November, finishing the consensus best heavyweight ever, Stipe Miocic. Jones displayed his flawless martial arts skills, finishing the fight in the third round with a beautifully executed spinning back kick to Miocic's body.
5: Cyclone of Strikes
UFC 308 witnessed a whirlwind of spinning back fists when Shara Magomedov stunned Armen Petrosyan. The combatants left fight fans on the edge of their seats with this unforgettable knockout.
4: Breaking the Unthinkable Barrier
Ilia Topuria fulfilled his promise of being the first man to knockout Max Holloway in their title fight at UFC 308 in October. Topuria unleashed a combination of punches, including a memorable left hook and follow-up hammer fists, to do the unthinkable.
3: Clash of Titans
At UFC 303, Alex Pereira solidified his status as a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division by putting an end to his rivalry with Jiri Prochazka. Pereira's left hand sent Prochazka crashing to the canvas in the first round, and a crushing headkick in the second round sealed his victory.
2: Flight of Fury
Newcomer Vinicius Oliveira burst onto the scene at UFC Vegas 87 in March with a stunning knockout of Bernardo Sopai, delivered with a picture-perfect flying knee.
1: The Ultimate Apex Moment
A BMF title fight, Max Holloway demonstrated his bona fides by inviting Justin Gaethje to engage in an all-out war at the end of UFC 300 in April. Holloway's last-second face-plant of Gaethje secured both the title and an unprecedented $600,000 in performance bonuses, capping off an unforgettable highlight reel moment.
Amir Albazi, Brandon Moreno, Charles Oliveira, Editor's Choice, Islam Makhachev, Khamzat Chimaev, Latest News, MMA, News, Paulo Costa, UFC, Quintin van Jaarsveld
Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a renowned sports journalist and editor, boasting over 15 years of experience as the MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and the former Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Prior to Quintin venturing into freelance sports writing, he served as the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com, and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com.
- Quintin Van Jaarsveld, a renowned sports journalist, has covered various UFC events throughout his career, including the unforgettable knockouts of 2022.
- Van Jaarsveld was the editor at SARugby.com, where he reported on the skillful use of spinning back kicks in mixed martial arts, such as Jon Jones' finish of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.
- Alongside the French Fried Fury of Fares Ziam, Esteban Ribovics delivered another infamous knockout at UFC's St. Louis prelim fight, but Van Jaarsveld was there to documented the action.
- In the realm of mixed-martial-arts, upsets and unthinkable moments like Ilia Topuria's knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308 are often discussed. As a sports editor, Quintin van Jaarsveld was privy to these groundbreaking events and the athletes who made them possible, such as Topuria himself.
