October’s Top Five UFC Knockouts

Champions produced show-stopping savagery inside the Octagon, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld as he selects the top five UFC knockouts of the month.

October saw a few thrilling firsts as a previously unstoppable legend was finished, a unique new way to shut an opponent’s lights out was spun up and a newcomer burst onto the scene.

Let’s jump straight into this month’s five best knockouts:

5: You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide

Ramazan Temirov sent a message to the rest of the flyweight division in his promotional debut at UFC Vegas 98 as he sent an overwhelmed CJ Vergara running with a brutal barrage. There’s no place to hide in the Octagon, though, and Temirov continued the beatdown until the referee finally stepped in and stopped the fight.

4: Bloodied And Battered

Alex Pereira became just the seventh fighter in UFC history to make three successful title defences in a calendar year when he bloodied and battered a game Khalil Rountree Jr in the main event of UFC 307. The end came in the fourth round with “Poatan” closing the show with a wicked body-body-head combo.

Alex Pereira, Khalil Rountree’yi İŞKENCE ederek bitiriyor! 🔥 #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/dEr1CQpMTX

— Kırmızı Köşe (@KirmiziKoseMMA) October 6, 2024

3: Puzzle Solved

After struggling to figure out veteran Stephen Thompson, one of the most technical strikers in UFC history, rising welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley solved the puzzle in the third round of their clash at UFC 307, rocking Wonderboy’s world with an explosive right hand and landing one more for good measure.

Joaquin Buckley KOs Stephen Thompson in the 3rd round pic.twitter.com/rOvbAQWqQq

— denranks (@denrankings) October 6, 2024

2: Hell-icopter

Shara Magomedov had fight fans jumping out of their seats when he doubled up on spinning back fists to finish Armen Petrosyan in one of the most unique knockouts ever seen inside the Octagon at UFC 308.

UFC 308 is currently delivering. The incredible double backfist KO of Armen Petrosyan by Shara Bullet Magomedov deserves a bonus. Beautiful thing. pic.twitter.com/mqtSOjfIrw

— Pam (@ParamPam1990) October 26, 2024

1: Doing The Unthinkable

Unbeaten Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vowed he would become the first man to knockout iron-chilled legend Max Holloway in their main event title fight at UFC 308 and he delivered on that promise, hurting the great Hawaiian with a big right hand before landing a picture-perfect left hook and follow-up hammer firsts to do the unthinkable in the third round.

Wow. Ilia Topuria 💥

That is some statement. The first man to KO Max Holloway.

The hardest hitting 145er we’ve ever seen?!

Incredible confidence, and humble in victory. #UFC308 #UFC pic.twitter.com/juWGxA87sR

— Ned Ozkasim (@nedoz9) October 26, 2024