Top 5 Best Knockouts of UFC 2024: Surprising Final Nominee

Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway, and Alex Pereira are considered some of the fighters with the most stunning knockouts in the UFC in 2024, but you may have overlooked one contender.

Max Holloway knockout Justin Gaethje (UFC 300)

Before the fight at UFC 300, Max Holloway was considered the underdog against Justin Gaethje for several reasons: Gaethje was in a higher weight class, Holloway had previously lost to Dustin Poirier, and most importantly, the power in Gaethje’s hands was believed by many to prevent Holloway from showcasing his abilities.

However, after five rounds, Justin Gaethje was nearly powerless against Holloway’s sharp movement and precision with his hands, before ultimately falling in the final seconds of the fight: 4 minutes 59 seconds of round 5.

Not only was it an “instant sleep” KO, but the moment when Max Holloway pointed down at the floor, challenging Gaethje to trade punches, has become a signature move of the Hawaiian fighter. In fact, it even sparked the “Max Holloway point down” trend, inspiring many fighters around the world to recreate this moment.

Ilia Topuria knockout Max Holloway (UFC 308)

Ilia Topuria is definitely a name to mention for the “Knockout of the Year” nomination with his finish at UFC 308.

He performed a “Max Holloway point down” right in the first second of the fight, but Ilia Topuria didn’t receive a response. However, the Georgian fighter didn’t have to wait long, as he made Max Holloway struggle with his boxing, even though “The Blessed” tried hard to regain balance.

The knockout Ilia Topuria delivered in the third round ended Max Holloway’s proud chin after 33 fights without ever being knocked out. This is something “big names” like Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo, Dustin Poirier, and most recently Justin Gaethje couldn’t achieve.

Ilia Topuria knockout Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 298)

When talking about Max Holloway, it would be a big oversight not to mention Alexander Volkanovski in Ilia Topuria’s achievements.

Although he was overwhelmed in the first round by Volkanovski’s precision, Topuria only needed one decisive entry to end the reign of his predecessor, becoming the first to defeat the “Great” at featherweight, putting an end to the undefeated reign that had lasted 5 years for the Australian fighter.

However, this knockout was not considered as impressive as the one against Holloway, because Volkanovski was seen as “no longer the same” after the knockout 4 months earlier by Islam Makhachev.

Alex Pereira’s left hook knockout of Jamahal Hill (UFC 300)

Of course, Alex Pereira’s left hook is an unstoppable deadly weapon when talking about knockouts. While there were instances of him knocking out Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr, UFC 300 left the most distinct mark.

After a grazing low kick from Jamahal Hill, Alex Pereira made everyone laugh by deliberately… pushing referee Herb Dean away, signaling that no intervention was needed to avoid disrupting the fight. Just 10 seconds later, his left hook dropped Hill to the mat. The mocking image that Pereira created immediately after became one of the most used memes of the year.

Jamahal Hill is also the third consecutive former light heavyweight champion in the middleweight division that Alex Pereira has defeated, following Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka. This means that all the champions after the era of Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier have been defeated by Alex Pereira – he is the undisputed king of the light heavyweight division.

Vinicius Oliveira knockout Benardo Sopaj (UFC Fight Night 238)

If you’re not a “hardcore” UFC fan, you may have missed the fifth contender we’re mentioning: Vinicius Oliveira knockout Benardo Sopaj.

It wasn’t a main event, nor was it on the main card, just two fighters who were making their UFC debuts. Vinicius Oliveira and Benardo Sopaj created two extremely tight rounds, with a tied score of 19-19, each winning one round.

In the third round, Vinicus Oliveira continued to dominate, taking advantage of a moment when his opponent was exhausted and turned towards the cage. As Sopaj turned back, he received a devastating flying knee from Oliveira, knocking him down immediately. This fight earned both fighters the “Fight of the Night” award with a $50,000 bonus each, and Oliveira also took home an additional $50,000 for the “Performance of the Night” award.

A rookie earning $100,000 in his first UFC fight, is there any knockout more impressive or “valuable” than Vinicus Oliveira’s?