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The UFC has a huge catalogue of shocking moments that make you think, ‘Did that really just happen?’
Fight fans pay money to see moments that make them jump out of their seats in excitement, and the UFC has provided lots of these moments in its history.
OddsMonkey, the experts of all things matched betting, have picked out five of the most jaw-dropping knockouts in UFC history.
Knockouts can be shocking for various reasons, such as when a huge underdog pulls off an upset or a fighter is on the brink of defeat and finds a way to win.
At her peak, Ronda Rousey was one of the biggest names in MMA. She was the first female champion in UFC history, catapulting herself into stardom.
Rousey was in the best form of her career in 2015, with her first two fights of that year lasting a combined 48 seconds. It was beginning to look like no challenger was capable of beating her.
Then came Holly Holm, who at the time was unknown to the average MMA fan. However, her background in both boxing and kickboxing led some to believe she could pose a challenge to Rousey on the feet.
Holm came into the fight as a sizable underdog, but the fight did not represent the odds in the slightest. Holm picked apart Rousey and eventually landed a brutal headkick to shock the world.
Anderson Silva is considered to be one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, with his combination of elite striking and submission skills.
During his reign as champion, Silva defended his title a staggering 10 times and coming into his title defence against Chris Weidman, many expected him to handle the American like he had everyone else.
Weidman was undefeated coming into the fight with a record of 9-0, but even with his impressive record, not many people believed he had what it took to beat Silva.
Silva, who was known for his showboating, was up to his old tricks and was joking around with the challenger. His showboating would ultimately cost him his title, as while pretending to be hurt, Weidman clipped Silva with a left hook that put the champion out cold.
UFC 300 saw a ‘BMF’ title fight take place between two fan favourite fighters, Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje.
Holloway had made a career for himself in the featherweight division, but jumped up to lightweight to take on Gaethje.
All MMA fans eagerly anticipated the fight, and the outcome certainly did not disappoint.
Holloway had dominated the majority of the contest, breaking Gaethje’s nose at the end of the first round.
In the last 10 seconds of the fight, Holloway pointed to the centre of the octagon and asked Gaethje to stand and bang to finish the fight. During this final trade, Holloway hit Gaethje with a right hook that put him face-first onto the canvas in the final second of the fight.
Kamaru Usman was a very dominant champion in the welterweight division; his wrestling-heavy style proved too much for most competitors. Leon Edwards had a very different style; he is known for his elite-level striking and ability to stop takedowns.
The pair had previously fought back in 2015, with Usman defeating Edwards via decision. Many expected a repeat of the first fight in the rematch, with Usman dominating everyone he had fought previously.
The fight was playing out as fans expected, as Usman was dominating Edwards with his wrestling and nullifying any striking.
As the fight entered the fifth round, Edwards looked to be a defeated man. But then, from the depths of defeat, Edwards landed a headkick that immediately shut Usman’s lights out.
2019 saw the birth of a new superstar in the UFC, as MMA veteran Jorge Masvidal burst onto the scene and caught the eyes of all MMA fans.
Ben Askren came into the UFC as part of a trade deal with One Championship. Askren was widely considered one of the best fighters who had never fought in the UFC, so when his signing was announced, there were high expectations.
Askren won his debut, defeating Robbie Lawler via a first-round submission. However, during the fight, Askren was visibly very damaged, and his debut did not impress fans. He then found himself scheduled to fight bitter rival Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239.
The pair had been going back and forth for some time, and this only added to the anticipation of the fight. However, no one could have predicted the outcome of the fight itself. Masvidal produced a moment of brilliance, as he hit Askren with a flying knee in the first five seconds of the fight. The knockout went viral, sending Masvidal from a journeyman-level fighter to a global superstar overnight.
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