5 best UFC knockouts of March 2022

The UFC delivered four blockbuster events and numerous memorable moments in March 2022.

UFC 272 was the promotion's first event in March and it was a massive success. The pay-per-view was headlined by the much-anticipated grudge match between welterweight contenders Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. The stacked fight card produced five finishes in total.

Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal at the T-Mobile Arena [Image via @GamebredFighter on Twitter]

Over the next three weeks, fans were treated to even more stacked fight cards as the subsequent Fight Nights at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the O2 Arena in London, England, and the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, delivered on all fronts.

It was a hugely enjoyable month of fights and we thought we'd rank the five best knockouts of March 2022.

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#5. Khalil Rountree Jr.'s TKO win over Karl Roberson at UFC Vegas 50

After going 3-3 between 2018 and 2021, Khalil Rountree Jr. was looking to finally put together a win streak when he returned to the octagon in 2022.

Rountree Jr. hadn't won two fights in a row since his back-to-back wins over Paul Craig and Daniel Jolly in 2017. In his first outing of 2022, he was booked to fight Karl Roberson.

The first round of the fight was fairly even, as Rountree Jr. controlled the range and distance between himself and Roberson. His constant forward pressure forced his opponent to stay along the fence and he landed some decent shots as well.

Less than 30 seconds into the second round, he landed a thunderous left hook that dropped Roberson, who was thrown back onto the ground after briefly getting up. While his foe was on the mat, Rountree Jr. uncorked a vicious soccer kick to the body, effectively finishing the fight.

Soccer kicks to the body are very dangerous strikes to throw under the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. A slight miscalculation and such kicks can land on a grounded opponent's head, which is classed as an illegal move.

Khalil Rountree Jr.'s perfect execution of the strike saw him pick up his second win on the bounce. The move was later lauded by none other than Conor McGregor, who commended Rountree Jr. for his "fresh innovation."

#4. Song Yadong's KO win over Marlon Moraes at UFC Vegas 50

Ever since his failed attempt at UFC gold against Henry Cejudo back in 2019, Marlon Moraes has endured a horrid run in the bantamweight division. The Brazilian was riding a three-fight losing streak coming into 2022 and was desperate to return to winning ways when he took on Chinese youngster Song Yadong.

In his three previous bouts against Cory Sandhagen, Rob Font and Merab Dvalishli, Moraes didn't just lose close contests. He was viciously knocked out on all three occasions and there were doubts surrounding his durability going into the fight against Yadong.

Those doubts were warranted as Moraes succumbed to yet another devastating defeat. Yadong put together a beautiful combination two minutes into the very first round, finishing with a picture-perfect uppercut that floored the former Brazilian title challenger.

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#3. Azamat Murzakanov's KO win over Tafon Nchukwi at UFC Vegas 50

Azamat Murzakanov may not be familiar to most fans. The Russian joined the UFC following a successful appearance on Dana White's Contender Series, where he secured a first-round TKO victory. With that win, Murzakanov improved his impeccable professional record to 10-0.

In his promotional debut, he was booked to fight Tafon Nchukwi at UFC Vegas 50.

Murzakanov was seemingly ahead of Nchukwi throughout the bout. In striking exchanges, he had better accuracy and power. In the clinch, he effortlessly bullied his opponent around the octagon.

With two rounds already in the bag, 'The Professional' looked set to come away with a unanimous decision victory in his first octagon outing. Nchukwi, who was clearly aware that he was two rounds down, started fighting a little more recklessly in the third frame in search of a finish. However, he was caught with a vicious flying knee courtesy of Murzakanov, which knocked him out.

#2. Ilia Topuria's KO win over Jai Herbert at UFC London

Ilia Topuria currently occupies the No.15 spot in the UFC featherweight division. He was initially set to take on fellow ranked contender Movsar Evloev in January, but was pulled from the card after facing issues with his weight cut.

Desperate to return to the octagon, he accepted a fight against unranked English lightweight Jai Herbert.

The matchup was a massive risk on Topuria's part. The undefeated phenom isn't a very big featherweight to begin with. Nevertheless, he accepted a fight against one of the biggest lightweights on the roster. Herbert boasted of a six-inch height advantage and an eight-inch reach advantage over 'El Matador'. Moreover, 'The Black Country Banger' knows how to use his reach and is a very technical striker.

Herbert's obvious size advantage shone through in the first round as he picked apart Topuria with long-range strikes. The Englishman even landed a powerful headkick that floored his Georgian counterpart, who somehow managed to survive the opening five minutes.

In the second round, Topuria didn't let Herbert have any space whatsoever. Over a minute into the round, he landed an exquisite combination that sent his British counterpart crashing to the canvas, silencing the crowd in attendance at the O2 Arena.

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#1. Molly McCann's KO win over Luana Carolina at UFC London

Molly McCann had four knockout victories to her name before joining the UFC. Since joining the world's premier MMA promotion, she has struggled to put away her opponents and largely relies on her relentless pressure to win fights. All of her wins inside the famed octagon prior to this month came via unanimous decision.

That was until UFC London, where she took on Luana Carolina.

McCann started the fight in her trademark style, overwhelming Carolina with non-stop forward pressure throughout the opening five minutes. It appeared as though she may have overcompensated in the first round as she seemed quite fatigued in the second.

In the final round of the fight, Carolina engaged in a clinch with McCann, using her taller frame to hold down the Liverpudlian. 'Meatball' gained some separation and unleashed a monstrous spinning elbow that put her opponent to sleep, sending the raucous English crowd into a frenzy.