5 best UFC knockouts in 2022 so far

With nearly half of 2022 already gone, we’ve seen some truly incredible action in what looks to be another stellar year for the UFC.

Most notably, the UFC events that we’ve been treated to thus far have seen some brutal knockouts from some of the promotion’s best, turning some of them into big stars in the process.

Naturally, fans should expect to see more savage finishes as 2022 continues, but it’s highly likely that the better knockouts we’ve already seen will remain memorable once the year comes to an end.

Here are the five best knockouts in the UFC thus far into 2022.

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#5. Jamahal Hill vs. Johnny Walker – UFC Fight Night 201

Jamahal Hill appeared to turn Johnny Walker into a zombie in their fight

When Jamahal Hill was matched with Johnny Walker in the main event of UFC Fight Night 201 in February, fireworks were always likely to ensue given the history of the two men inside the octagon.

Between them, the light heavyweight prospects had a total of 20 knockout finishes, with seven of them coming in the world’s biggest MMA promotion. However, most fans were picking Walker, who was slightly more proven at the top level and had reeled off a number of highlight-reel finishes.

Instead, though, it was ‘Sweet Dreams’ who delivered the finish that fans were hoping to see. Somehow, it was even more brutal than anyone could’ve expected.

The fight was only ticking into the third minute when the two men, who had been exchanging strikes from the outset, threw big right hands at one another at the same time. However, Hill’s shot connected first and landed hard to the temple of his Brazilian foe.

Walker’s lights were switched off instantly, but in a bizarre delayed reaction, his arms raised up in the air like something from a zombie movie before he stiffened up and toppled backwards into the fence.

The fight was clearly over, but Hill added one more coffin nail right hand to seal the deal in what was easily one of 2022’s most brutal finishes. To say this was a statement from ‘Sweet Dreams’ would be an understatement.

#4. Tai Tuivasa vs. Derrick Lewis – UFC 271

Tai Tuivasa picked up the biggest win of his career when he stopped Derrick Lewis with a savage elbow

While UFC 271’s main event of Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title was a big one, it’s probably fair to say that more fans were looking forward to the co-headline bout between heavyweight brawlers Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis.

The two men had a laundry list of knockouts between them, and with both men coming off wild finishes in late 2021, it felt like a brutal finish was inevitable in this one. Naturally, the bout delivered the goods, with Tuivasa coming out on top.

Early on, it didn’t look like the fight would go that way. After some early clinching and exchanging, ‘The Black Beast’ stunned his Australian opponent with a flurry of shots, but incredibly, Tuivasa took them all and unloaded right back.

The fight moved into the second round, and this time, when the two men brawled, it was ‘Bam Bam’ who landed the better shots, leaving Lewis clearly stunned for a second. When the former title challenger clinched, then, Tuivasa was ready and nailed him with a heavy elbow to the side of the head.

Lewis crashed down to the ground face-first, and Tuivasa didn’t even need to follow up – channelling his idol Mark Hunt with a classic walk-off knockout. This was not only the biggest knockout of the Australian’s UFC career to date, it was also the best, and stands as one of 2022’s best finishes thus far.

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#3. Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Carlston Harris – UFC Fight Night 200

Shavkat Rakhmonov became a star with his explosive finish of Carlston Harris

February’s UFC Fight Night 200 didn’t have that much fanfare around it going in, but in the end, the event delivered some great action. However, the man who really stole the show was welterweight prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov.

‘Nomad’ had already picked up two victories in the octagon prior to the event, but most fans believed that fellow prospect Carlston Harris, who was also 2-0 in the promotion, would be able to test him in a way he hadn’t been tested before.

Unfortunately for Harris, that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, ‘Mocambique’ found himself on the end of one of 2022’s most violent and flashy finishes.

After a back-and-forth opening round that saw the fighters hit the ground for a brief time, one minute remained when Rakhmonov unleashed hell. ‘Nomad’ whipped his leg around with a hook kick to the head, dropping Harris, and from there, he finished him off with some heavy punches.

The victory not only gave Rakhmonov his first $50,000 bonus cheque, it also launched his career and turned him into a man to watch in one of the UFC’s most stacked divisions. Simply put, his next fight, which will be against Neil Magny, can’t come soon enough.

#2. Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina – UFC Fight Night 204

Molly McCann used a spinning elbow to dispatch Luana Carolina in London

March’s trip to London turned into one of the most memorable UFC events in recent memory, with the promotion giving out an unheard-of nine $50,000 post-fight bonuses due to the amount of stellar performances on the card.

However, while the likes of Paddy Pimblett, Arnold Allen and Tom Aspinall delivered star-making performances, the fighter who scored the best knockout was undoubtedly Molly McCann.

‘Meatball’ had never finished an opponent in the octagon prior to her fight with Luana Carolina, but she’d clearly been saving up for a truly memorable stoppage.

After largely dominating her Brazilian foe for the first two rounds, it looked like the native of Liverpool was probably on her way to another decision victory. Instead, as the third round neared its midway point, that all changed.

McCann uncorked a brilliant spinning back elbow, connecting perfectly with Carolina’s jaw and switching her lights off instantly. ‘Meatball’ didn’t even need to follow up as it was clear that ‘Dread’ was more than done.

Not only did this knockout make a star of McCann, but it also lit up an already raucous crowd – making it easily one of 2022’s best thus far.

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#1. Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson – UFC 274

Michael Chandler's front kick knockout of Tony Ferguson shocked even Dana White

While 2022 has seen some excellent knockouts up to this point, one stands miles above the rest. In fact, it’ll probably go down as not only one of the best finishes of this year, but one of the best ever seen in the octagon, period.

UFC 274 was always set to be a stacked card, with two title fights at the top, but going in, the clash that had the best chance of stealing the show was the lightweight clash between Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson.

The two men had put on so many classic wars over the years that there didn’t seem to be any chance that their fight would fail to deliver, and sure enough, they surpassed expectations.

Early on, it looked like ‘El Cucuy’, who was an underdog of sorts after three straight losses, would come out on top. He took the fight to Chandler and tagged him with multiple heavy strikes, and the only way ‘Iron Mike’ managed to turn the tide somewhat was with a takedown.

In the second round, though, before Ferguson could even attempt any offense, the former Bellator MMA champion hit him with a front kick to the jaw so powerful that it switched his lights off instantly.

This wasn’t a pretty front kick ala Lyoto Machida against Randy Couture – it was a brutal, sudden shot more akin to a pro-wrestling style big boot. It was such a brutal shot that even UFC president Dana White appeared to be stunned, labeling it as the most vicious thing he’d ever seen inside the octagon.

White is often hyperbolic, but in this case, he probably wasn’t all that wrong. Quite how well Ferguson will recover from eating such a shot remains a major question mark, and it’ll take something very special indeed to top this knockout in the remainder of 2022.