With the year drawing to a close, we have put together a list of the five best UFC knockouts 2023. These five knockouts were some of the most jaw-dropping, mouth-watering, heart-stopping, sensational knockouts you are ever likely to see in the sport of MMA.
The list includes the likes of Israel Adesanya, Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev and of course Josh Emmett. So without further ado, here are five of the best UFC knockouts 2023, as selected by our SportsLens MMA experts.
5 Best UFC Knockouts 2023
Counting down from 5 to 1, here are the the five best UFC knockouts of 2023 so far…
5. Islam Makhachev KO vs Alexander Volkanovski – UFC 294 – October 21
In at number five on our list of the best UFC knockouts 2023 is Islam Makhachev’s stunning head-kick knockout in his rematch with Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC Lightweight Title at UFC 294 in October.
This fight was of course a rematch, given the contentious decision first time around. Islam Makhachev was awarded the decision first time around, but most certainly didn’t need the judges scorecards’ when they threw down for a second time.
In the very opening round of the UFC Lightweight Title fight, the Russian MMA phenom landed a perfectly timed left head-kick, wobbling Volkanovski straight away. ‘The Great’ somehow managed to stay on his feet, but was evidently discombobulated and Makhachev took full advantage.
The champion followed up with several hammer fists and a ground-and-pound attack, with referee Marc Goddard stepping in to save the Aussie for another day. Quite a remarkable knockout from the best 155-pound MMA fighter on planet earth.
4. Israel Adesanya KO vs Alex Pereira – UFC 287 – April 8
The fourth best knockout in the UFC this year for us here at SportsLens comes from Israel Adesanya in his rematch with bitter rival Alex Pereira in their main event bout at UFC 297 back in April.
There was so much riding on this fight, given that Alex Pereira had beaten ‘Izzy’ last November via knockout. Israel Adesanya confronted his demons and put them to sleep, emphatically knocking his bitter rival out in Round 2 of the rematch for the UFC Middleweight Title.
Not only was Adesanya’s one-two down the pipe sensational, wobbling Pereira badly, but he then landed another concussive right-hand to follow up, knocking ‘Poatan’ out cold to regain his middleweight championship.
What Made Adesanya’s highlight reel knockout even better was the celebration afterwards. The former long-reigning UFC 185-pound king had well and truly defeated his demons, and celebrated in style, seemingly firing imaginary arrows into Pereira’s body on the canvas with a bow.
3. Ismael Bonfim KO vs Terrance McKinney – UFC 283 – January 21
Embarking on the top three UFC knockouts 2023, and this one most certainly deserves to be right up near the very top. We are of course talking about Ismael Bonfim’s heart-stopping flying knee knockout of Terrance McKinney on the UFC 283 undercard way back at the beginning of the year in January.
In what was an evenly matched fight for a round and a half, Bonfim applied pressure, forcing McKinney to stand with his back to the cage. As McKinney was throwing shots of his own, Bonfim took a step back before delivering the most perfect flying knee you are ever likely to see.
The Brazilian UFC lightweight knocked McKinney out cold, sending him tumbling face-first to the canvas. The crowd went into raptures as Bonfim secured a highlight reel KO in front of his hometown fans in Brazil. A sensational knockout to get our top three best UFC knockouts 2023 underway.
2. Justin Gaethje KO vs Dustin Poirier – UFC 291 – July 29
In at number two and extremely unlucky not to claim top spot is Justin Gaethje’s sensational head-kick knockout of Dustin Poirier in their lightweight rematch bout at UFC 291.
What make’s this knockout even more special is that Poirier is one of the most durable mixed martial artists on the UFC roster, as well as having previously beaten ‘The Highlight’, but Gaethje’s precise head-kick to the jaw of ‘The Diamond’ was all she wrote.
Salt Lake City in Utah was the destination for this bout, with Gaethje showing why he is one of the most entertaining fighters on the entire UFC roster. The Arizona man got revenge over Poirier in the most incredible fashion.
A perfectly timed right head-kick sent Poirier tumbling to the deck, sending ‘The Diamond’ to the shadow realm. Poirier was knocked out cold, and took a few minutes to recover from the knockout and what had just happened. Of course, in typical Justin Gaethje fashion, he capped off the knockout with his signature backflip.
Usually a knockout like this would be in first place without any shadow of a doubt, but that cannot be the case this year. So without further ado, here is the best UFC knockout 2023…
1. Josh Emmett KO vs Bryce Mitchell – UFC 296 – December 16
Coming in at top spot and lifting the SportsLens title for the best UFC knockout 2023 is Josh Emmett’s stunning Round 1 knockout over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 296.
This knockout is possibly one of the most chilling and jaw-dropping knockouts you are ever likely to see in MMA. Period. Mitchell had stepped in at late notice to face Josh Emmett, who was priced as the underdog with UFC betting sites despite having had a full training camp for the bout.
Emmett vs Mitchell kicked off the main card at UFC 296, in what was being billed as a very evenly matched featherweight contest. Emmett made a mockery of the offshore sportsbooks odds, landing a perfectly timed overhand right on the whiskers of ‘Thug Nasty’.
Mitchell was knocked out cold immediately. Moments after the knockout, Bryce Mitchell’s body was shaking, still unconscious. A scary moment for Emmett who had just secured the best knockout of his career, but didn’t want to celebrate because of the condition of his opponent.
This knockout will likely go down in history as one of the best ever, and will certain be a regular pick as one of the best UFC knockouts of all time. Quite a fitting winner of the best UFC knockout of the year.
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