If you’re a newcomer to Mixed Martial Arts, you should know that fighters can use their fists, elbows, shoulders, legs, and knees as weapons, which frequently results in amazing knockouts. The striker’s equivalent of a submission is a knockout. They have the ability to end a fight instantly, so the prevailing fighter of that match can be declared.
The intensity of these fights mean they have become more popular over the years, drawing attention from the world over. It doesn’t matter where you are today, whether in the galactic ice of Norway or the safari of the desert in Dubai, UAE, the tales of these fighters are known and followed.
And talking about MMA fans in the UAE, we understand matches don’t hold every day. In case you need an equally thrilling and competitive activity to engage in away from the sport, consider trying your hand at casino games. There are several international sites serving players in your country that you can use.
However, for the best experience, before players sign up with any platform, experts recommend that they go through guides and reviews showcasing the best new online casinos for UAE players. This way, they can see operators that are tailored to their needs.
MMA Best Knockouts in 2025
These are incredible bouts that shook the cage with left hooks, spinning heel kicks, straight lefts, and spinning back elbows. And the fighters highlighted set records by winning in the first round. While every move’s a risk, the rewards are pure knockout excitement that have added their names to the list of knockout kings with many fans.
1. Soldić vs. Arslanaliev
When Roberto Soldic did manage to win under the ONE Championship banner, it was in a devastating manner. The former KSW two-division champion easily defeated Dagi Arslanaliev when he faced him in a welterweight bout in Lusail, Qatar, inside a circular cage.
After landing a leg kick, Soldic punched the opponent in the body. Soldic retaliated with a vicious left hand that faceplanted Arslanaliev and knocked him out when he chose to respond with a body kick. As a ONE fighter, Soldic is currently 1-1 with a no-contest record. He demanded a chance to exact revenge on Zebaztian Kadestam, who hasn’t fought since knocking him out in May 2023.
“When I’m like this, nobody can beat me,” Soldic said after the win.
He added, “In this cage, if I’m good, nobody can beat this Robocop. I’m back, guys.”
2. Murphy vs. Pico
Aaron Pico’s UFC debut was cruelly spoiled by Lerone Murphy, who used a spinning back elbow to knock out the former Bellator star during the UFC 319 co-main event at United Center in Chicago. The first round ended at 3:21. Early in the bout, Pico overpowered Murphy by applying pressure and throwing punches into his pocket. Two minutes into the round, he also scored a takedown. However, Pico’s aggression ultimately caught up with him.
The highlight-reel finish came when Murphy clocked Pico with a spinning back elbow as he was moving forward. The No. 6-ranked featherweight Murphy went 17-0-1 in his professional career.
Following the triumph, he demanded a rematch with champion Alexander Volkanovski for the title, which Volkanovski accepted via social media: “See you in December @LeroneMurphy congrats #ufc319.”
This was the tenth consecutive spinning-back-elbow knockout in MMA history. Here are some other notable knockouts:
- Carlos Prates against Geoff Neal in August 2025.
- Jiří Procházka’s knockout of Dominick Reyes in May 2021.
- Ricardo Ramos’s knockout of Aiemann Zahabi in November 2017.
- Dong Hyun Kim against John Hathaway in March 2014 (the first ever).
3. Hermansson vs. Rodrigues
At UFC 317, Gregory Rodrigues flatlined Jack Hermansson in the opening round before delivering a highlight-reel knockout to get back in the win column. Rodrigues entered a combination after a few foot-to-foot exchanges, but Hermansson’s head was twisted around by a well-timed left hook, sending him crashing to the canvas in a heap.
Rodrigues’s needless hammer fist as a follow-up was the only regrettable aspect of the knockout. Despite the obvious finish, referee Herb Dean was likewise in a poor position to intervene quickly enough to end the fight.
With the knockout occurring at 4:21 in the opening round, Rodrigues’ performance was still remarkably impressive. Rodrigues waited for his opportunity after he had figured out Hermansson’s timing, and then he lunged forward with the left hook that dramatically ended Hermansson’s night.
One could argue that Rodrigues has brought some vital lessons from his last defeat to Jared Cannonier into this bout.
After his fall to Cannonier, he had this to say, “Last fight, I learned a little bit more about myself. We’re just going to keep going. One result don’t tell who you are…. For my last fight, I learned a lot about patience.”
4. Green Vs. Ruffy
As soon as he entered the octagon, Brazilian sensation Mauricio Ruffy knocked out King Green with a vicious blow. Green was hoping to win his 50th career fight after suffering a “blooper” loss to Paddy Pimblett. However, the bout soon turned into a statement win for former MMA sensation Ruffy, who won for the seventh time in a row with a devastating wheel kick.
Ruffy had won by knockout ten times in his career with the shot. While the fight’s commentary panel predicted the action would end up as a strong contender for knockout of the year, the spinning kick left the spectators in awe.
‘‘My jaw is on the floor… that was always one of King Green’s biggest issues, keeping his hands down. You can’t do that with a guy like this in front of you.’’ Daniel Cormier said in a commentary.
Final Thoughts
MMA can be extremely explosive, as demonstrated by these matches. Every fighter entered the cage with the intention of making an impression, and these guys succeeded with memorable knockouts. Their performances serve as reminders of why knockout victories are always in style.
