5 most shocking UFC knockouts of 2022 so far

#4. Jamahal Hill def. Johnny Walker – UFC Vegas 48

Ranked 205-pound contenders Jamahal Hill and Johnny Walker squared off in the headliner of UFC Vegas 48 at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. Walker was looking to return to winning ways following his loss to Thiago Santos, while Hill came into the fight eyeing a spot in the top ten of the light heavyweight rankings.

Both light heavyweights' penchant for highlight-reel finishes guaranteed that their bout would deliver the goods.

In the opening minute of the fight, Jamahal Hill took control of the center of the cage, forcing Johnny Walker to backpedal. Walker was evading most of Hill's offense in the early going and even landed a few decent combinations of his own.

Hill then switched his stance and landed a perfectly-timed overhand right, sending Walker crumbling to the canvas. 'Sweet Dreams' landed a few follow-up strikes before the referee called a halt to the action.

With his knockout victory over Johnny Walker, Jamahal Hill advanced his professional record to 10-1 and broke into the top 10 of the light heavyweight division.

The American's jaw-dropping finish served as a real statement of intent, allowing him to further solidify his standing as one of the most intriguing contenders at 205 pounds.

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#3. Zhang Weili def. Joanna Jędrzejczyk – UFC 275

Back in February 2020, in the final UFC event in front of a sold-out crowd before the subsequent government imposed lockdowns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhang Weili and Joanna Jędrzejczyk delivered one of the greatest fights ever.

Weili came away with a narrow decision victory on the night and after the fight, the strawweight duo went their separate ways. 'Magnum' would go on to lose her next two bouts with Rose Namajunas, while Jędrzejczyk opted to remain on the sidelines.

At UFC 275, the Polish icon made her much awaited return to the octagon, running it back with Weili in a high stakes clash in Singapore. Adding to the drama, UFC president Dana White revealed before the fight that the victor would fight for the title in their next outing.

Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk 2 fan-made poster [Image via @needingart on Instagram]

Zhang Weili proved to be the more well-rounded fighter in the rematch, dominating Joanna Jędrzejczyk with her improved wrestling in the first round. In the next round, Jędrzejczyk turned up the pace and started chasing Weili around the octagon, which turned out to be an unwise move.

Almost halfway through the second frame, she got drawn into the pocket by Weili, who whipped a sizzling spinning backfist as she turned away. Jędrzejczyk, upon absorbing the strike, fell face-first into the canvas.