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The UFC heavyweight division was once the marquee weight class in the promotion. While most of the sport's biggest stars have since begun to emerge in the lower divisions, like lightweight and so on, there's nothing quite like the spectacle of a heavyweight knockout.
In fact, knockouts tend to be more commonplace at 265 pounds, almost entirely due to the fact that men of such stature carry tremendous weight behind every punch they throw, no matter their form and technique. So it is no surprise that some of the sport's best knockouts have happened at heavyweight.
Having once been home to the likes of Francis Ngannou, knockouts are expected. But what of the most memorable ones? Which stoppages are among the best heavyweight knockouts in the UFC?
#5. Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez, UFC on Fox 1
Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez had one of the most memorable and one-sided rivalries in the UFC heavyweight division, and it all began on the promotion's debut on Fox.
At the time, Velasquez was the newly minted heavyweight champion, having TKO'd Brock Lesnar to capture the title. He was undefeated and set to face 'JDS,' who was unbeaten in his last eight fights, including wins over Shane Carwin and future heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum.
A minute into round one, the Brazilian power puncher uncorked a thunderous overhand right that flattened Velasquez on the canvas.
Several unanswered punches later and dos Santos was crowned the heavyweight king, Velasquez's undefeated record was no more, and the promotion's relationship with Fox couldn't have gotten off to a better start.
#4. Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, UFC 249
In 2020, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, a former kickboxer with a then-undefeated record of 10 wins, all by either knockout or TKO, issued a public challenge to Francis Ngannou. He believed he possessed the tools to beat Ngannou and aimed to prove that the Cameroonian knockout artist's striking was inferior.
However, when their bout came to fruition at UFC 249, Ngannou sought to show Rozenstruik the error of his ways in a manner that typified the worst and best aspects of heavyweight MMA.
20 seconds into the fight, Ngannou abandoned all semblance of technique after being tapped with a low kick. He stormed forward, his arms swinging like windmills as he threatened to take Rozenstruik's head off. Not long afterward, he did, blasting him on the chin to instantly knock him out cold as Rozenstruik was left slumped against the fence, unconscious.
#3. Derrick Lewis vs. Alexander Volkov, UFC 229
UFC 229 was the Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov show. However, through the improbable nature of his own performance and his magnetism on the mic, Derrick Lewis briefly stole the show. He took on Alexander Volkov, a far more educated striker, in the second bout of the main card.
Lewis spent the majority of the fight being outstruck and made to look a fool on the feet. However, with just 11 seconds left, Volkov, who was on the cusp of a dominant win, lost it all. 'The Black Beast' unleashed a seismic right hand, flooring his foe before following up with ground-and-pound for an all-time great comeback knockout win.
After claiming victory, he punctuated his performance with his now legendary 'balls hot' post-fight interview that made him a beloved meme in online MMA circles for years to come.
#2. Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem, UFC 218
The pairing of Francis Ngannou and Alistair Overeem at UFC 218 seemed like a stroke of matchmaking genius. Ngannou was a potential star in the promotion's eyes, and they needed to legitimize him before he was granted a title shot. A foe like Overeem was perfect for several reasons.
The Dutchman was 6-1 in his last seven fights, having beaten three former UFC heavyweight champions while only losing to then-reigning champion Stipe Miocic. Furthermore, he had a suspect chin that everyone knew wouldn't stand up to Ngannou's record-breaking punching power.
So when the two men crossed swords, it didn't take Ngannou long to score what many consider his signature win. Overeem entered the pocket, swung and missed before Ngannou blasted him with an earth-shattering uppercut that nearly knocked the Dutchman's head into orbit, leaving him motionless on the mat.
#1. Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop, UFC 70
Heavyweights aren't typically known for being great kickers, but Mirko Cro Cop was no ordinary heavyweight. He is a former K-1 kickboxing World Grand Prix champion with the most head-kick knockouts in PRIDE history. The blitzing speed and deadly power in his left leg led to MMA's most famous adage:
"Right leg, hospital. Left leg, cemetery."
However, when he faced Gabriel Gonzaga, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, at UFC 70, things couldn't have gone to a more emphatic and ironic ending. Late in round one, both circled each other before Gonzaga chambered a kick high, whipping his right shin into Cro Cop's head to knock him out cold as he had so many others.
It was one of the most shocking results in MMA at the time and remains the greatest knockout in heavyweight history.
