5 most brutal knockouts in the UFC in 2021

#2. Cory Sandhagen KOs Frankie Edgar (at UFC Vegas 18)

Cory Sandhagen is one of the more interesting fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division. The highly skilled fighter hailing from Colorado has enjoyed a decent ascent up the rankings at 135 lbs.

He secured three finishes in his first three bouts in the promotion and followed them up with two decision victories before suffering an embarrassing submission loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250.

His loss to Sterling brought about a change in his approach to mental preparation going into fights. This was on display when he secured a TKO victory over Marlon Moraes.

Sandhagen was a lot more aggressive in his fight against Moraes and wasn’t shy in showcasing his plethora of devastating strikes. He carried the same mentality into his fight against UFC legend Frankie Edgar.

Frankie Edgar was expected to be a tough task for Cory Sandhagan considering his wrestling credentials and achievements in higher weight classes. However, what transpired at the UFC Apex when the duo locked horns left MMA fans around the world in utter disbelief.

Sandhagen used impeccable movement and timing to draw Edgar towards him before unleashing a vicious flying knee. The knee landed flush onto the chin of the former UFC lightweight champion, putting him to sleep.

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#1. Jiri Prochazka KOs Dominick Reyes (at UFC Vegas 25)

In under a year, Jiri Prochazka has gone from being the UFC’s latest recruit to the light heavyweight division in 2020 to the No.1 contender in the 205 lbs division in 2021.

The Czech’s unbelievable rise in the promotion is unprecedented. He is expected to compete for undisputed light heavyweight gold in 2022 despite the fact that he has fought just twice in the promotion. His performances have warranted everything he’s received so far.

Prochazka’s first fight in the UFC was a sensational knockout victory over former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in 2020. Somehow, he managed to produce an even better KO in his second outing in the octagon when he took on yet another former title challenger in Dominick Reyes. The duo squared off at UFC Vegas 25.

The contest was one of the best fights of the year for as long as it lasted. Both fighters, being powerful strikers, managed to land bombs on one another throughout the course of the opening round.

The second round saw Prochazka take over as he started to have more success on the feet. With 30 seconds left on the clock, Prochazka connected with an incredible spinning elbow to knock Reyes out cold.