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While there are plenty of things that make the UFC massively popular, it’s probably fair to suggest that there’s nothing quite like a vicious knockout.
Each UFC event seems to feature, at least, a handful of highlight reel knockouts, but it’s fair to say that, over the years, some fighters have become more reliable at delivering them than others.
So which fighters have the most knockouts inside the octagon to their name? While some of the names on this list are obvious, a couple of others might be surprising.
With that in mind, here are the seven UFC fighters with the most knockouts to their name.
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#7. Chuck Liddell – former UFC light-heavyweight champion (10 knockouts)
A total of six fighters have ten knockouts to their name in the UFC, but Chuck Liddell stands out among them as he holds the record for the most knockouts in the history of the light-heavyweight division.
‘The Iceman’ was one of the most feared strikers in the 205 lbs division from his debut back in September 1999 through to his final bout in the octagon in 2010.
His signature punches, namely his overhand right and his looping left hook, were truly legendary and were responsible for taking out numerous opponents.
What makes Liddell stand out among his peers is the quality of the fighters he knocked out. The Iceman knocked out three UFC champions in the form of Kevin Randleman, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, and also dispatched highly-rated foes like Renato Sobral and Jeremy Horn.
In the end, Liddell’s career was the definition of “live by the sword, die by the sword”, as he hung up his gloves off the back of three-straight KO losses. However, he remains one of MMA’s greatest-ever knockout artists.
#6. Thiago Santos – former UFC light-heavyweight title challenger (11 knockouts)
It might come as a surprise to learn that Thiago Santos, who was often overlooked during his UFC career, actually delivered a total of 11 knockouts in the octagon.
However, at his peak, ‘Marreta’ was a devastating striker who could destroy his foes with either his kicks or his punches, and his killer instinct was among the best in the promotion.
After an unsuccessful showing on TUF Brazil 2 and a debut loss, little was expected of the Brazilian brawler. However, he quickly showed what he was capable of by winning five of his next six bouts, finishing four of them by knockout.
While ‘Marreta’ had some success at 185 lbs, it’s arguable that his best performances came when he moved to 205 lbs in late 2018.
Once he arrived in the light-heavyweight division, he took out the likes of Jimi Manuwa and Jan Blachowicz in vicious fashion and ended up fighting Jon Jones for the 205 lbs title in 2019.
That title fight saw him suffer a devastating knee injury, and largely signaled the end of his career as a top-level contender. However, with four bonus awards for his knockouts, it’s fair to say he was deadly at his best.
#5. Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson – former UFC light-heavyweight title challenger (11 knockouts)
Very few fighters in UFC history possessed the kind of punching power that Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson was blessed with.
Whether he was fighting at 170 lbs or at 205 lbs, ‘Rumble’ had the ability to put his opponents out in devastating fashion, often with punches that, at first glance, didn’t even seem overly debilitating.
Johnson burst onto the scene in 2007, knocking out Tommy Speer in his octagon debut. While a handful of losses showed that he was somewhat limited, his knockout wins over the likes of Yoshiyuki Yoshida and Kevin Burns demonstrated truly scary power if he could land.
It was in his second run with the promotion, as a light-heavyweight, that his true knockout ability came to the fore, though.
‘Rumble’ took out the likes of Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader and Alexander Gustafsson in the kind of fashion that left viewers truly shocked. At times, he seemed to be able to dispatch his foes by merely touching them.
Johnson’s power wasn’t enough to net him a UFC title in the end, as he came up short in two bouts for the gold. Despite this, ‘Rumble’ – who tragically passed away in 2022 – is still renowned as one of the biggest power hitters in MMA history.
#4. Anderson Silva – former UFC middleweight champion (11 knockouts)
While Anderson Silva does not hold the record for the most knockouts in UFC history, it’s arguable that the former middleweight champion remains the best example of a fighter who could turn a KO into a work of art.
At his best, ‘The Spider’ seemed to be operating in an entirely different dimension to his opponents, leading to comparisons to The Matrix movie series.
Almost every knockout the Brazilian scored could be considered legendary, from his debut finish of Chris Leben that saw him land every strike he threw, all the way through to his unbelievable front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort in 2011.
His best finish, though, would have to be his stoppage of Forrest Griffin in 2009. Silva made Griffin – a former light-heavyweight champion – look like an amateur, eventually dispatching him with a punch that drew comparisons to the legendary Muhammad Ali.
Overall, at his best, Silva was a once-in-a-lifetime knockout artist, and his list of accomplishments remain hard to touch to this day.
#3. Vitor Belfort – former UFC light-heavyweight champion (12 knockouts)
While his lone UFC title win was a bit of a sham and probably shouldn’t be counted among his list of knockouts, no other KO artist can touch Vitor Belfort in terms of longevity.
‘The Phenom’ scored his first knockout in the octagon over Tra Telligman in 1997. His final one in the promotion came against Dan Henderson in November 2015, almost two decades later.
When he burst onto the scene in the UFC’s early days, Belfort quickly became renowned for his remarkably fast hands. Nobody could deal with his rapid-fire punches, and he used them to dispatch of opponents like Tank Abbott and Wanderlei Silva.
However, while his invincible aura was eventually shattered by a number of losses, he remained dangerous throughout his career.
Eventually, his kicks became just as deadly as his hands. In his later years in the octagon, he regularly took out foes with devastating head kicks, counting Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold among his victims.
Like most fighters, time eventually caught up to ‘The Phenom’, and his time with the promotion ended with numerous losses. However, with 12 knockouts to his name, he remains a truly legendary striker.
#2. Matt Brown – UFC welterweight contender (13 knockouts)
This weekend saw a UFC record tied, as Matt Brown scored his 13th knockout in the octagon, tying him with Derrick Lewis for the most knockouts in the promotion’s history.
In many ways, this feat took people by surprise. After all, Brown’s career peaked back in 2014, when he surged into welterweight title contention for a brief period.
Despite this, ‘The Immortal’ has been a shockingly consistent knockout artist from his debut in 2008 all the way through to this weekend’s finish of Bryan Barberena.
Across his lengthy career with the promotion, Brown has almost scored a knockout every year. While his victims can’t be considered a who’s who of stars over the years, it’s hard to argue with his levels of sheer aggression and violence.
Brown’s knockouts of Diego Sanchez, Mike Swick and Erick Silva remain hard to watch due to their brutality, and even his more recent finish of Dhiego Lima demonstrated truly vicious power.
‘The Immortal’ probably won’t make the UFC’s Hall of Fame, but his prowess as a knockout artist is nothing short of legendary.
#1. Derrick Lewis – UFC heavyweight contender (13 knockouts)
The joint holder of the UFC’s record for the most knockouts is feared heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis.
‘The Black Beast’ now appears to be on the downturn of his career, having lost his last three fights in a row. However, it’s well-known in MMA that punching power is the last thing to leave a heavyweight, and so to see him claim the record outright again in the future wouldn’t be a shock.
Lewis debuted in the octagon in 2014, knocking out his first two opponents. It was a sign of things to come. While he lost two of his first five fights in the promotion, by mid-2017, he’d risen into contention off the back of six straight wins, with five of them coming via KO.
‘The Black Beast’ came up short in both of his attempts to claim UFC gold, falling to Daniel Cormier in 2018 and Ciryl Gane in 2021.
However, it was seemingly impossible to count him out of any fight. His come-from-behind wins over Curtis Blaydes and, in particular, Alexander Volkov, were remarkable. They saw Lewis suffer serious punishment before striking from seemingly nowhere to take out his foes with sudden violence.
Overall, Lewis’ heavy hands were – and still are – the ultimate equalizer in the heavyweight division. It’s arguable that no other fighter has ever possessed the same kind of thunderous power that ‘The Black Beast’ carries, and it’s likely he’ll dispatch more victims before his time is done.
