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Despite never winning a title or even fighting for a UFC belt, Jeremy Stephens is one of the most recognizable names in the promotion. Whether for his incredible knockouts, his 14-year UFC career or for being on the receiving end of one of Conor McGregor’s most famous quotes, everyone knows ‘Lil Heathen’.
Since making his UFC debut all the way back in 2007, Stephens has fought the best. The list of names he’s stepped into the octagon with really is endless. He’s battled the likes of Rafael dos Anjos, Din Thomas, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, (take a breath)…Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Zabit Magomedsharipov, Yair Rodriguez and Calvin Kattar.
Just a few then?
UFC Vegas 24: Jeremy Stephens vs. Drakkar Klose
Jeremy Stephens has been on the worst run of form he’s experienced so far during his UFC tenure. The veteran hasn’t won in his last five fights. A vicious KO win over Josh Emmett in 2018, which narrowly missed out on making this list, was the last time the 34-year-old tasted victory inside the octagon.
In an attempt to rejuvenate his career, Stephens will be returning to the lightweight division this weekend for the first time since December 2012. At UFC Vegas 24, Stephens will face Drakkar Klose (11-2-1) in the card's co-main event. Klose had been flying high up until he met the in-form Beneil Dariush inside the cage last March.
A lot is at stake in this one, with both men needing to get back into the win column. With that said, let’s refresh our memories of Jeremy Stephens' vicious finishing power. Out of an incredible 19 career knockouts, here are his three best finishes in the UFC.
#3 Jeremy Stephens vs. Rafael dos Anjos - UFC 91
Jeremy Stephens will be hoping he can return to the lightweight form that brought him an incredibly brutal knockout win over former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
‘Lil Heathen’ was tasked with welcoming the Brazilian to the UFC back in 2008. Perhaps the scale of the win can’t have been fully understood until dos Anjos went on to dominate the division and become champion.
Despite dos Anjos’ success after, Stephens will always be known as the first to defeat him in the UFC. He did it in brutal fashion.
Just seconds into the final round of their fight at UFC 91, Jeremy Stephens sent dos Anjos crashing to the mat after one of the most vicious uppercuts in UFC history. The wind up was crazy and the power he generated from it was frightening.
To add to the brutality of the KO, an unconscious dos Anjos ate three or four hard shots after the initial blow. Stephens' decision to react by just sprinting headfirst into the opposite side of the cage makes this one that extra bit more memorable.
#2 Jeremy Stephens vs. Dennis Bermudez - UFC 189
Aside from Jeremy Stephens, Chan Sung Jung is the only man to have knocked out Dennis Bermudez. Stephens' flying knee was twice as brutal as The Korean Zombie’s punch.
Heading into his fight with Stephens, Bermudez had won seven out of his last eight bouts and was 7-2 in the UFC. What Stephens did to ‘The Menace’ perhaps signified the beginning of the TUF season 14 finalist's downfall.
Just 30 seconds into the final round of their matchup at UFC 189, Stephens shook the MGM Grand Garden Arena with one of the most devastating knees in UFC history.
He likes a KO at the start of the final round, doesn't he?
In the opening exchanges of the third-round, Bermudez was clearly dropping his head as he threw strikes. After re-watching it, you can almost see the moment Stephens plots the flying knee after observing Bermudez' technique.
After subtly planting his back leg, Stephens exploded up and connected cleanly with his right knee. Coupled with some hard shots on the ground, the KO was one of Stephens' most brutal finishes and one of the UFC's most memorable.
#1 Jeremy Stephens vs. Rony Mariano Bezerra - UFC Fight Night 32
From the combination of Jeremy Stephens moving back to throw the kick and Rony Mariano Bezerra moving into it, to the almost slow-motion fall into the cage after it connects, this knockout covers everything needed in order to be classed as brutal. It even had some 'super necessary' shots to an unconscious Bezerra at the end of it.
Rony Mariano Bezerra, known as Rony Jason, was on an eight-fight winning streak heading into his fight with Stephens at UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil. It's amazing he even entered the octagon again after what Stephens did to him. Bezerra fought five more times in the UFC, but the Brazilian was never the same.
There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe this knockout. Just 40 seconds into the opening round, Stephens beautifully waited for Bezerra to throw his strike before launching a perfect right kick to his head.
The Brazilian fell back onto the cage before eating one of the hardest follow-up punches you could probably find. The screwed-up face of the unconscious Bezerra was a scary aesthetic.
It is without a doubt the most brutal knockout of Jeremy Stephens' career.
