10 Fastest Knockouts in UFC History

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has seen its share of blink-and-you-miss-it finishes. These fastest UFC knockouts send crowds into a frenzy and leave opponents stunned. Fighters who achieve such lightning-quick wins earn a special place in UFC lore. In this article, we count down ten of the quickest MMA finishes ever recorded in the octagon. Each entry showcases a bout that ended in mere seconds – truly record-breaking UFC KOs that highlight the explosive potential of elite fighters. Fans love these flash endings for their shock value and excitement. Without further ado, here are the UFC’s ten fastest knockouts in history, each a testament to decisive power and timing.

10. Quick Victories MMA – Gray Maynard vs. Joe Veres (9 seconds)

Gray Maynard opened UFC Fight Night 11 with a quick victory that stands among the fastest UFC knockouts on record. In September 2007, “The Bully” faced Joe Veres and delivered a stunning one-punch finish​. Maynard faked a takedown, then planted a lunging left hook on Veres’ chin as Veres dropped his hands to sprawl​. The impact knocked Veres out almost instantly. A brief follow-up volley of punches sealed the deal just nine seconds into the first round​. This explosive knockout gave Maynard’s opponents something new to fear and kicked off our list of quick KO wins in spectacular fashion.

9. Fastest Knockouts MMA – Makwan Amirkhani vs. Andy Ogle (8 seconds)

Makwan Amirkhani made a dazzling UFC debut in 2015 with one of the fastest knockouts MMA fans had seen at the time. At UFC on Fox 14 in Stockholm, “Mr. Finland” needed only eight seconds to stop Andy Ogle​. Amirkhani blitzed Ogle from the start by leaping in with a flying knee to the body, immediately followed by an uppercut that stunned his foe​. He then swarmed Ogle with a flurry of punches until the referee stepped in to halt the bout​. The dramatic finish left Ogle dazed and even instinctively shooting for a takedown on the referee after the stoppage. Amirkhani’s debut remains one of the UFC fastest finishes ever, announcing his arrival with emphatic style.

8. UFC Fastest Finishes – Leon Edwards vs. Seth Baczynski (8 seconds)

Leon Edwards etched his name in the record books with an eight-second demolition of Seth Baczynski at UFC Fight Night 64. This bout in 2015 is often cited among the UFC fastest finishes, as Edwards rebounded from a prior loss with incredible ferocity​. In the opening seconds, Baczynski lunged forward with a knee, and Edwards capitalized instantly. “Rocky” Edwards uncorked a straight left hand counter down the pipe that cracked Baczynski’s chin and sent “The Polish Pistola” crashing to the canvas​. A couple of quick follow-up punches on the ground forced the referee to intervene, ending the fight just 8 seconds into round one​. This blistering knockout gave Edwards a highlight-reel moment early in his UFC career and demonstrated how a single precise punch can decide a fight in seconds.

7. Quick KO Wins – James Irvin vs. Houston Alexander (8 seconds)

At UFC Fight Night 13 in 2008, James Irvin scored one of the UFC’s most memorable quick KO wins by flattening Houston Alexander in eight seconds. Both light heavyweights touched gloves at the start, and then Irvin wasted no time unloading his power​. He launched a slashing Superman punch right off the reset that folded Alexander where he stood​. The unexpected blow dropped “The Assassin” to the canvas instantly. Irvin followed up with two swift right hands to the downed opponent before the referee waved off the fight​. The decisive superman punch knockout tied the record for fastest finish in UFC light heavyweight history at that time. Despite Alexander’s objections that he could continue, the bout was stopped at the eight-second mark​. Irvin’s explosive one-punch performance remains a classic example of a lightning-fast UFC finish that left the crowd and commentators astonished.

6. Lightning-Fast UFC Finishes – Don Frye vs. Thomas Ramirez (8 seconds)

Don Frye delivered one of the most lightning-fast UFC finishes ever back in the early era of the UFC. At UFC 8 in 1996, Frye faced Thomas Ramirez in a true David vs. Goliath matchup – Ramirez was a 410-pound local brawler touted as unbeaten in hundreds of challenges. The introductions for this quarterfinal bout took longer than the fight itself. When the action began, the compact Frye wasted no time despite the massive size difference. He backed the 41-year-old Ramirez up with punches and then landed a short right hook square on the jaw​. Ramirez hit the mat unconscious, and the mismatch was over in eight seconds​. Frye’s victory in the “David and Goliath” tournament quarterfinal was as swift as it was emphatic. In fact, he went on to win the entire UFC 8 tournament that night. This fastest stoppage of UFC 8 proved that skill and timing can overcome size in mere seconds.

5. Blazing Fast MMA Knockouts—Ryan Jimmo vs. Anthony Perosh (7 seconds)

The late Ryan Jimmo made his UFC debut in 2012 with a bang, tying the promotion’s speed record at the time. Jimmo’s blazing fast MMA knockout of Anthony Perosh at UFC 149 took only seven seconds, instantly putting him in the company of the UFC’s fastest finishers. As the fight began, Jimmo and Perosh touched gloves and squared up. Jimmo then uncorked a single, powerful overhand right that found its mark on Perosh’s chin​. The Australian veteran dropped against the cage, already out cold from that one punch​. Jimmo didn’t even need follow-up shots – the fight was effectively over the moment his first strike landed. The referee officially halted the contest at 0:07 of the first round. This knockout is notable not only for its speed but also for its efficiency; Jimmo needed just one clean punch to earn the win. It remains one of the fastest stoppages UFC fans have seen at light heavyweight, and Jimmo celebrated with his signature robotic dance, delighting the crowd​.

4. Quickest MMA Finishes – Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick (7 seconds)

“The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, owns one of the quickest MMA finishes in UFC history thanks to his 7-second knockout of Mark Hominick. This featherweight clash took place at UFC 140 in Toronto, and local fans were stunned by the swift outcome​. Hominick, a former title challenger, came out aggressively and threw a big left hand as the fight began. Jung immediately countered with a perfectly timed straight right hand that landed flush on Hominick’s chin​. The Canadian dropped to the canvas almost instantly. Jung pounced with a couple of unanswered follow-up punches on the ground until the referee jumped in to stop it at seven seconds of the first round​. The arena was shocked – a huge hometown favorite had been vanquished in mere moments. Jung’s lightning-quick victory is tied for the fastest knockout in UFC featherweight history​. It showcased the Zombie’s superb timing and remains a fastest UFC knockout highlight that fans remember, especially for the way it silenced the crowd in Toronto.

3. Fastest Stoppages UFC – Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague (7 seconds)

Heavyweights are known for power, and Todd Duffee demonstrated it with one of the fastest stoppages UFC has ever seen in the heavyweight division. In his UFC debut at UFC 102 in 2009, Duffee faced Canada’s Tim Hague. The bout was over almost as soon as it began. Duffee came out firing and landed a stiff left jab within the first two seconds, catching Hague clean and knocking him down immediately​. Wasting no time, Duffee followed his floored opponent and unleashed a barrage of hammerfists and punches. A few ferocious ground strikes rendered Hague unconscious, prompting the referee to stop the fight at seven seconds into round one​. This blazing fast knockout set a new UFC record at the time for heavyweights​. In fact, Duffee’s win remains the fastest KO in UFC heavyweight history​. Such a rapid debut victory instantly raised Duffee’s profile and showed that even among big men, a fight can end in the blink of an eye.

2. Record-Breaking UFC KOs – Duane Ludwig vs. Jonathan Goulet (6 seconds)

For over thirteen years, Duane “Bang” Ludwig held the UFC’s fastest knockout record with his 6-second blitz of Jonathan Goulet​. This record-breaking UFC KO took place at UFC Fight Night 3 in January 2006. Ludwig, a seasoned striker, wasted no time once the bout began. Both fighters met in the center of the cage, and Ludwig immediately threw a hard right hand straight to Goulet’s chin​. The punch landed perfectly and put Goulet out cold just six seconds into the fight​​. The referee officially recorded it as a knockout at 0:06 of round one. Ludwig’s emphatic finish stood atop the UFC record books for the better part of a decade. In fact, UFC President Dana White later acknowledged it as the fastest UFC knockout at that time​. This spectacular one-punch KO was long considered the benchmark of UFC quick finishes – a record fastest knockout in UFC history until it was broken years later.

1. Fastest UFC Knockouts – Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren (5 seconds)

The flying knee heard ’round the world – Jorge Masvidal’s five-second finish of Ben Askren – sits at #1 as the fastest knockout in UFC history​​. This bout at UFC 239 in July 2019 produced an iconic moment that instantly became highlight-reel material across the globe. Masvidal and Askren had engaged in heated trash-talk leading up to the fight, but “Gamebred” settled the score in literally one move. As the opening bell rang, Masvidal sprinted forward and launched a flying knee at Askren, who was ducking down to attempt a takedown​. The knee struck Askren’s head flush, knocking him out on impact. Askren fell to the canvas rigid, clearly unconscious from the blow. Masvidal delivered two extra punches on the ground before the referee could intervene, though Askren was already out cold​. The fight was halted at 5 seconds of the first round – the official fastest KO ever recorded in the UFC​. This fastest UFC knockouts record by Masvidal shattered the previous mark held by Duane Ludwig. It was a lightning-fast UFC finish that left fans and commentators in awe. The MMA community exploded with reactions to the breathtaking brevity of the bout​. Masvidal’s flying knee knockout is not only the fastest UFC finish to date, but also one of the most famous, cementing his place in history. ESPN even reported it as “Masvidal’s 5-second KO [being] the fastest in UFC history.”​ This extraordinary performance epitomizes how quickly a fight can end – and why the opening seconds of any bout are so dangerous.

Conclusion

The fights above showcase just how dramatic and abrupt MMA can be. The fastest UFC knockouts ever recorded range from 5 to 9 seconds, and each stands as a testament to explosive power, precision, and opportunistic timing. Fans will always remember these quickest MMA finishes – from Masvidal’s flying knee to Ludwig’s long-standing record punch – as jaw-dropping moments when history was made in mere seconds. Such swift endings remind us that in the UFC, anything can happen in the blink of an eye, and a single strike is all it takes to make combat sports history. These ten fights will forever be celebrated as the ultimate examples of UFC quick finishes, proving that time is never wasted in the octagon when a fight ends in a flash.

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