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When it comes to the UFC, there’s nothing quite as entertaining as a brutal knockout. Whether it comes from a punch, kick or knee honestly doesn’t matter. However, some knockouts are more impressive than others – and the walk-off knockout stands above all of the rest.
So what exactly entails a walk-off knockout? Well, it’s pretty simple. In the UFC, fighters are encouraged to keep fighting until the referee steps in – and this often causes extreme brutality. A victorious fighter may have to land numerous – and pointless – extra strikes to a downed opponent before the official can call a halt to things.
A walk-off KO is different, though. The fighter delivering the shot practically calls the fight off without the official stepping in – knowing that their opponent can’t continue. It not only shows massive sportsmanship, but it also makes for an incredibly cool visual.
Here are 5 of the best walk-off knockouts in UFC history.
#1 Mark Hunt vs. Roy Nelson, UFC Fight Night 52
Mark Hunt was nicknamed ‘The Super Samoan’. But plenty of fans also christened him ‘The King of Walk-Offs’ due to his tendency to knock his opponent out and simply walk away without following up. If anything, the New Zealand native popularised this kind of finish in the UFC.
Perhaps his greatest walk-off knockout came at UFC Fight Night 52 in Japan in September 2014. Hunt was faced with an opponent who was practically a mirror image of himself in the form of ‘Big Country’ Roy Nelson. The former was more than happy to go toe-to-toe until one of the pair was unconscious.
After a back-and-forth first round, Hunt began to take over with his more technical striking, and late in the second, he caught Nelson ducking forward. ‘The Super Samoan’ nailed him with a vicious right uppercut, sending him crashing to the ground face-first.
Referee Leon Roberts quickly rushed over, but there was no need. Hunt had already begun to walk away and in fact, almost tripped over Nelson’s fallen body on his way. It was a phenomenal punch to take out an iron-chinned opponent. And, the walk-off only made it a cooler finish.
#2 Lyoto Machida vs. Vitor Belfort, UFC 224
Prior to his departure from the UFC in 2018, Lyoto Machida had a number of highlight-reel knockouts to his name, and often ‘The Dragon’ would be seen knocking his opponent out but avoiding a follow-up shot.
His head kick KO of Mark Munoz stands as perhaps the greatest example of this. Lyoto knocked him out and then stood poised, ready to deliver another blow if the referee hadn’t stepped in.
His 2018 knockout of Vitor Belfort though was very different. This was a bonafide classic walk-off KO, complete with Machida bowing over his fallen foe. And surprisingly, it came after an opening round in which barely a thing happened. The two Brazilian legends simply circled around one another, throwing the odd strike – leaving the crowd in Rio de Janeiro underwhelmed.
Early in the second round, that all changed. Lyoto began to pick at Belfort’s body with kicks. And with ‘The Phenom’ looking to block them, he suddenly changed tack and threw a perfectly-placed left front kick into his jaw instead. Belfort fell backward and was instantly unconscious.
Rather than follow up, ‘The Dragon’ simply stood with his hands on his hips before bowing. It was a truly incredible visual – and marked the KO out as perhaps the best of Machida’s career.
#3 Marlon Moraes vs. Aljamain Sterling, UFC Fight Night 123
One of the most violent knockouts of 2017, Marlon Moraes’ finish of highly-ranked contender Aljamain Sterling was the first true indicator that the former WSOF Bantamweight champ could also thrive in the UFC. Due to the lofty status of both men, the fight was expected to be a tight one to call.
It turned out to be anything but. Sterling was clearly hoping to get his vaunted grappling game going against the feared Brazilian striker, but an early takedown attempt was avoided. And when ‘The Funk Master’ leaned in to attempt another, ‘Magic’ countered with an absolutely devastating knee strike that landed to the side of his head.
Sterling fell face-first to the ground, his consciousness completely switched off. And rather than follow up, Moraes simply raised his arms and waved the fight off himself, right before the official stepped in. The strike was a thing of beauty – but it was the ice-cool celebration that turned Moraes into a star in the eyes of UFC fans.
#4 Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim, UFC 142
Edson Barboza’s knockout of Terry Etim at UFC 142 in January 2012 is perhaps one of the most replayed moments in UFC history. When MMA emerged as a spectacle in the ’90s and then as a fully-fledged sport in the mid-2000s, it was supposed to have exposed the myth of the spinning kicks.
These were popularised in the 1980’s movies by the likes of Jean Claude Van Damme and it was proven that they simply didn’t work in a ‘real’ fight.
Barboza though proved that idea completely wrong at UFC 142. After two back-and-forth rounds, the Brazilian was clearly ahead on the scorecards, but he clearly intended to put an exclamation mark on things. So with Etim directly in front of him, he threw a spinning heel kick that connected to the head of the Brit, stiffening him up instantly.
Etim fell backward to the ground, motionless, and rather than follow up, ‘Junior’ simply walked away in celebration before kneeling to rant at the camera. The knockout was already one of the greatest in UFC history – the impossible made possible. But the fact that Barboza walked away from his fallen foe made it even better.
#5 Mark Hunt vs. Frank Mir, UFC Fight Night 85
We started this list with the ‘King of Walk-Offs’, Mark Hunt, and it only seems appropriate to end it with him too. This particular finish came over a former UFC Heavyweight champion in the form of Frank Mir, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 85. The event took place in February 2016 in Brisbane, Australia.
Mir – a grappling specialist – clearly wanted to put Hunt on his back where his history suggested he wasn’t too comfortable. But it was obvious from the early stages of the fight that he was going to have some trouble securing a takedown. His lunging style was causing him to be in range for a counter-strike – and sure enough, with three minutes gone, it happened.
Mir leaned forward for a takedown again and this time Hunt caught him with a spearing right hand that landed directly behind the former champion’s ear. Mir tumbled backward to the ground, dazed and clearly in no position to continue.
And despite referee Marc Goddard being meters away, Hunt simply walked away, safe in the knowledge that he’d finished yet another opponent. Once again, ‘The Super Samoan’ had lived up to his billing as the ‘King of Walk-Offs’.
