Which fighter holds the throne for most knockouts in UFC history?

A knockout, undoubtedly, is the most anticipated part of any combat fight, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship brings its viewers some of the most terrifying and excruciating knockouts. Some of the game’s notable names with the most knockout wins in UFC are Francis Ngannou, Vitor Belfort, Derrick Lewis, and many more.

The UFC has had some of the greatest knockout reels since its introduction. Over the years, the fans have witnessed some of the most vicious knockouts. A range of knockout artists has blessed the UFC octagon with its ability to put its opponents to sleep with knockouts. Here, we take a look at which fighters have the most knockouts in UFC history.

5. Six fighters including Francis Ngannou, Chuck Liddell and others with 10 knockouts

This list has an interesting set of names who are synonymous with the hardcore fan base. Francis Ngannou, Donald Cerrone, Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Michael Bisping, and Chuck Liddell share the spot for having ten knockouts to their name.

Michael Bisping’s addition might surprise people. But he did have KO/TKO wins in their career. His volume and pressure eventually resulted in getting finishes in the UFC. His title-winning KO of Luke Rockhold will forever remain one of the best underdog wins in history.

Ngannou is called the “Predator” for a reason. The scariest man on the planet has ten knockouts to his name. Donald Cerrone, the legendary UFC veteran, also shares the first spot for most wins in the UFC. JDS and Velasquez were beasts during their prime with killer instinct. Chuck Liddell was the scariest light-heavyweight fighter of the 2000s.

4. Anderson Silva, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway and others have 11 knockouts

Now, the list gets spicier. Anderson Silva, Anthony Johnson, and Thiago Santos have always possessed dangerous knockout ability in their prime. All these fighters have managed to get their knockouts in the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions.

Anderson Silva is arguably the greatest middleweight of all time. Silva’s knockout is of higher standards as 7 of his 11 knockouts have come against title contenders, making it a grade higher in the list of most knockouts in UFC. Meanwhile, Anthony Johnson and Thiago Santos had hammers for hands during their prime.

Dustin Poirier joined the list with his stunning knockout of French military veteran Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299. Poirier has knockouts in two divisions as well – featherweight and lightweight. His two-time opponent Max Holloway remains the latest addition to the list.

Holloway knocked out The Korean Zombie at UFC Singapore in 2023, his first finish since late 2018. He followed that up with a sensational last-second KO at UFC 300. He asked his opponent, Justin Gaethje, to stand and trade heavy shots in the final 10 seconds to secure the KO.

3. Vitor Belfort has 12 knockouts

Vitor Belfort used to be one of the scariest men to face in the octagon. The raw power he used to generate is unparalleled. Belfort once held the title for most knockouts in the promotion’s history until a certain heavyweight took over that spot.

Belfort has knocked out fighters of high standards, such as Luke Rockhold, Dan Henderson, Michael Bisping, and many more. Belfort had fought in the UFC 12 when he won the heavyweight tournament. As such, he is the sole fighter on the list to have competed in the early UFC tournaments.

2. Matt Brown has 13 knockouts

Matt Brown is another fan favorite in the sport, who gave his all every time inside the octagon. The fighter is nicknamed “The Immortal.” Brown truly is living up to that name. He has fought in the best MMA promotion for over a decade.

‘The Immortal’ is a man who has been through several opponents since 2008 and has had 13 knockouts, his most recent one being in 2023. This speaks a lot about Matt Brown’s longevity and the killer instinct on the feet. The American fighter has since retired from the UFC.

1. Derrick Lewis is lonely at the top with 15 knockouts

This is a name that needs no introduction. The ‘Black Beast‘ of UFC has remained nothing short of entertaining almost every time he steps foot into the octagon. The two-time heavyweight title challenger is one of the most dangerous fighters to go against. Despite his playful claims to not take fighting seriously, Derrick Lewis has the most knockouts in UFC history.

The fighter is alone at the top with 14 knockouts, with a sensational one at UFC 291 in 2023. Lewis has knockouts against Curtis Blaydes, Chris Daukaus, Alexander Volkov, and a handful of talented heavyweights. Lewis has been fighting in the UFC since 2014 and is a fan favorite.

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