Last Updated on January 20, 2025
Knockouts aren't for every fighter. The ones who win via a knockout also win the hearts of fans for years, and their opponents never forget the experience.
So, who holds the record for the most knockouts in UFC history?
Derrick Lewis is the king of knockouts, with 13 so far. The Black Beast gives brutal punches that take out opponents early. Let's look at his stunning record as we define knockout wins per weight division.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship Knockouts History By Division
First, let's break down this record for all fighters. Vitor Belfort and Matt Brown tie in the second position for the most knockouts in UFC history, with 12 knockouts as of 2021. Anderson Silva, Thiago Santos, and Anthony Johnson are close behind them, with 11 knockout wins.
When we consider title bouts only instead of the most knockouts in UFC fights, Anderson Silva takes the crown from Derrick Lewis for his seven knockouts, while Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, and Chuck Liddell tie in the second position with five.
Amanda Nunes’s four knockouts earn her a place in the top 10 knockouts in title bouts.
You'll see more fighters on this list as we compare knockout punches per weight division below:
Heavyweight Division
Derrick Lewis leads, and his knockouts have raked in several bonuses like Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night. The Black Beast doesn't have many knockout wins because he has weaker opponents. On the contrary, he's fought opponents like Alexey Oleynik, Travis Browne, and Francis Ngannous, the current heavyweight champion.
Stipe Miocic leads with four knockouts in title bouts for defending his heavyweight title against seasoned fighters like Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, and Daniel Cormier.
Cain Velasquez is among the leading knockout artists in this division after recent bouts.
Light Heavyweight Division
Chuck Liddell leads here with five punches in title matches and ten in all fights. The Ice Man's record has some exciting bouts, like his 2006 Las Vegas match against Randy Couture that ended in a knockout punch in 1.28 minutes.
He was defending his Light Heavyweight Championship, which he had won from Couture about a year earlier.
Welterweight Division
Matt Brown leads in the UFC welterweight division with knockouts ranging from elbows and punches to head kicks. He has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and when you look at his record, he won all the seven bouts between 2012 and 2014, and most were via knockouts.
In total, Matt Brown has 12 knockouts. However, Matt Hughes leads in welterweight division title bouts with five knockouts.
Lightweight Division
Dustin Poirier has eight knockouts and is one of the highest-ranking fighters in this category. He's fought famous MMA fighters like Conor McGregor and won via TKO punches.
B.J. Penn ranks high with two knockouts when we consider title bouts.
Featherweight Division
Max Holloway leads with eight out of all featherweight division bouts and three knockouts in title bouts. It's a tie between Cris Cyborg, Megan Anderson, and Felicia Spencer in the women's featherweight division.
Bantamweight Division
T.J. Dillashaw's seven knockouts make him the top fighter, and Amanda Nunes leads in the women's division. It's a tie between her and Ronda Rousey in title bouts.
Middleweight Division
Thiago Santos, Uriah Hall, and Anderson Silva tie in the most knockouts in this division. However, Silva ranks for the most title bout KOs by a middleweight division fighter.
Knock-Out Point: Most KOs happen instantly and in many cases occur when a killer punch or kick lands either on the side of the ear or on the jaw area. However, like any other contact sports, there are dangers involved. Learn more about them here -- UFC Fighters Ears.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the rule of knockout in UFC?
If a fighter's strike makes an opponent unconscious, then the fighter wins via a knockout. On the other hand, if the opponent can't take on more punches or their health is at risk, then the bout may be stopped due to a technical knockout.
Who is the best knockout Artist in the UFC?
All punches from Derrick Lewis stand out and that makes him the top knockout artist. But, there are several memorable punches. For example, fans will never forget when Jon Jones knocked out Daniel Cormier with powerful head kicks at UFC Fight Night 214 and won a Performance of the Night bonus.
Another commendable punch came from Dan Henderson when he fought Michael Bisping at UFC 100. He punched Michael Bisping to the ground and kept him there to win Knockout of the Night and Knockout of the Year bonuses.
Other unforgettable kicks and punches came from Matt Serra, Rashad Evans, and Anderson Silva.
How many knockouts have been in the UFC?
There are hundreds of knockouts in the UFC every year. For instance, there were 138 in 2020 and 153 the year before.
Conclusion
Some fighters win via submission, while others prefer to knock out their opponents. It's a skill left to mixed martial arts fighters with perfect timing and the force to throw a flurry of punches. Such MMA fighters rank high for the most knockouts in UFC history.
They include Derrick Lewis, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos, Thiago Santos, Vitor Belfort, and Matt Brown. The fastest punch so far was in the welterweight bout between Jorge Masvidal and Ben Askren, which ended in 0:05 seconds.