As the thrilling year of MMA comes to a close, MMA Junkie reviews the most spectacular knockouts from January to December. Here are the top five knockouts alongside the recipient of MMA Junkie’s Knockout of the Year award for 2025.
Let us know if we made the right choice by voting for your Knockout of the Year at the end of the post.
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Honorable Mentions
Diego Lopes def. Jean Silva, UFC Fight Night 259
Diego Lopes managed to regain momentum by stopping Jean Silva in one of the year’s most exciting matchups.
Following a setback against Alexander Volkanovski in April, Lopes (27-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) finished the annual Noche UFC celebration dramatically by defeating Silva (16-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) with a spinning elbow TKO.
While Lopes almost finished Silva with ground-and-pound in the first round, Silva retaliated in the second. However, in an aggressive moment, Silva fell prey to the spinning elbow, leading to his downfall.
Quillan Salkilld def. Nasrat Haqparast, UFC 321
Quillan Salkilld (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) executed an incredibly violent high kick to knock out Nasrat Haqparast just before he hit the ground, securing a stoppage at 2:30 in Round 1.
After the incident, Haqparast (18-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) remained down for several moments, and when the broadcast resumed, he was still on his back before eventually sitting up.
Salkilld earned a $50,000 performance bonus, continuing his unbeaten streak in the promotional realm, emerging as a promising contender in the lightweight division.
Ilia Topuria def. Charles Oliveira, UFC 317
Ilia Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) reclaimed a title when he knocked out Charles Oliveira in just 2:27, clinching a championship at lightweight.
The bout was action-packed; Oliveira (36-11 MMA, 24-11 UFC) sustained a cut in the early moments. Though he attempted to take the fight to the ground, Topuria reversed the situation, landing on top instead.
As Oliveira attempted a heel hook, Topuria escaped and, back on his feet, delivered a decisive straight right that knocked Oliveira out cold, followed by two more strikes before the fight was halted.
The Winner
Mauricio Ruffy def. King Green, UFC 313
Mauricio Ruffy made a significant impact in his career by delivering the Knockout of the Year against King Green.
Ruffy (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) claimed victory with a stunning spinning wheel kick, knocking out Green (32-17-1 MMA, 13-12-1 MMA) at the 2:16 mark of Round 1.
Green fell face-first upon impact, stunning the audience. Afterward, he congratulated Ruffy, who celebrated this remarkable achievement, becoming part of UFC lore with this particular knockout.
Despite a later loss to Benoit Saint Denis in September, Ruffy’s highlight remained a standout in 2025 according to the MMA Junkie staff’s vote.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: MMA Junkie’s 2025 Knockout of the Year: Mauricio Ruffy def. King Green
