5 most vicious UFC knockouts of 2023 so far

UFC fans have been treated to some truly spectacular finishes so far this year. Across the first half of 2023, we've witnessed some jaw-dropping knockouts inside the famed octagon, some of which are etched in MMA folklore forever.

THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED 🏹 #UFC287 https://t.co/J6ixiwWiit

While some of these knockouts have inherent beauty thanks to the technique and execution, others served as massive statement-making wins for the victors. Given how many amazing KOs we've seen this year already, we thought we'd rank the five most memorable ones.

On that note, here are the five most vicious knockouts of 2023 so far.

#5. Umar Nurmagomedov def. Raoni Barcelos

Umar Nurmagomedov has endured a similar ordeal to that of his brethren and countrymen Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov previously. The undefeated bantamweight struggles to get willing opponents in the top 15, and at UFC Vegas 67, took on yet another unranked fighter.

Nurmagomedov locked horns with Raoni Barcelos at the Apex facility in January and sent a stern warning to the rest of the 135-pound division, showing new wrinkles to his game as he delivered a very impressive knockout.

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Raoni Barcelos is no slouch and is arguably among the best unranked 135-pounders on the roster. He is well-rounded but is largely known for his striking, while Umar Nurmagomedov is considered an elite grappler, with all his finishes in the promotion coming via submission.

Nurmagomedov showcased why he is a force to be reckoned with as he knocked out Barcelos in the opening round, catching the Brazilian with an incredible follow-up left hook after narrowly missing out on a step-in knee. The unbeaten Dagestani followed his counterpart to the ground but opted against landing more strikes when he realized Barcelos was out cold.

The already-stacked bantamweight division has a genuine championship-caliber prospect on the rise in Nurmagomedov, and it's only a matter of time before he's in the title mix. He is set to take on former title challenger Cory Sandhagen at UFC Nashville later this year.

Watch Umar Nurmagomedov's KO below:

Umar Nurmagomedov KO’ing Raoni Barcelos in slow motion https://t.co/pT0XfkAOOc

#4. Ikram Aliskerov def. Phil Hawes

Since Israel Adesanya reclaimed his middleweight title earlier this year and Alex Pereira's subsequent move up to light heavyweight, the division has grown stagnant. Adesanya has already beaten most top-ranked 185-pounders and the weight class is in desperate need of fresh blood.

The rise of Khamzat Chimaev and Bo Nickal has certainly made things interesting at middleweight, but the recent debut of Dagestani phenom Ikram Aliskerov bodes well for the future of the division.

Ikram Aliskerov MY GOODNESS 😳 #UFC288 https://t.co/DIJOh7OJpl

Ikram Aliskerov's lone career loss came against Khamzat Chimaev back in 2019 in BRAVE CF. The Russian's overall record stands at 14-1 after his sensational octagon debut at UFC 288, where he made quick work of Phil Hawes.

While most Dagestani fighters primarily rely on their grappling prowess, Aliskerov's striking game is world-class. The 30-year-old has just as many knockouts as he does submissions in his professional career, with five apiece.

His deadly power and precision were on full display against Hawes. Aliskerov started aggressively and it took him just 130 seconds to catch his opponent with a slick right straight, putting him to sleep.

Watch Ikram Aliskerov's KO below:

On his debut!!

Ikram Aliskerov with the KNOCKOUT on our #UFC288 prelims! https://t.co/HN7HBBOgOX

#3. Ismael Bonfim def. Terrance McKinney

The Bonfim brothers were the talk of the town heading into the UFC 283 pay-per-view in Rio de Janeiro in January.

The highly touted siblings both made their octagon debuts at the pay-per-view and came away with first-round finishes. Gabriel Bonfim submitted his opponent in under a minute, while Ismael Bonfim made quick work of Terrance McKinney to open his account in the UFC in emphatic fashion.

Ismael Bonfim knocks out Terrance McKinney (2023)

📸 Buda Mendes https://t.co/FAEqKuhGUw

Ismael Bonfim looked supremely confident right from the get-go, pushing Terrance McKinney onto his back foot. McKinney is known for being a fast starter but struggled to get a read on Bonfim's movement and timing.

Bonfim's crisp boxing deterred McKinney from attacking and just over two minutes into the first round, the Brazilian cornered his American counterpart against the fence. Showing sublime athleticism and skill, he launched into a flying knee, which sent 'T-Wrecks' crashing face-first into the canvas.

His stunning knockout earned him a post-fight bonus, kicking off his UFC career in style.

Watch Ismael Bonfim's KO below:

Are we looking at the BEST knockout of 2023?! 🤯🔥

🇧🇷 Ismael Bonfim returns to the Octagon this Saturday at #UFCVegas76! https://t.co/OKj9xkkjNp

#2. Carlos Diego Ferreira def. Michael Johnson

Carlos Diego Ferreira took an 18-month hiatus after suffering an injury in his loss to Mateusz Gamrot in 2021. The perennial lightweight contender returned to the octagon with a bang in June, viciously putting away Michael Johnson to notch his first win since early 2020.

Diego Ferreira BLASTED Michael Johnson with a right hand for the KO 😱 #UFCVegas73 https://t.co/8yX9OryKgn

Carlos Diego Ferreira's near-decade-long UFC career has been turbulent, to say the least. The Brazilian never cracked the top tier of the division and hovered around the No.10 spot for the past few years. He fell out of the rankings after his loss to Mateusz Gamrot, which was his third defeat on the bounce.

Ferreira looked considerably bigger upon his return, and his striking looked far more polished. Against fellow promotional veteran Michael Johnson, the 38-year-old's hands have never looked better.

Eerily similar to Johnson's KO loss to Josh Emmett, Ferreira caught 'The Menace' with a monster overhand, freezing him as he fell to the mat.

Watch Carlos Diego Ferreira's KO below:

That was such a nasty KO! 😵 #UFCVegas73 https://t.co/ArGW1dOs88

#1. Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira – UFC middleweight title fight

Back in November last year, Israel Adesanya's dominant reign atop the middleweight division came to a shocking halt, at the hands of the boogeyman of his combat sports career, Alex Pereira. 'Poatan' pulled off a come-from-behind victory against Adesanya at UFC 281 in New York, recording his third win over 'The Last Stylebender' across kickboxing and MMA.

At UFC 287 in Miami earlier this year, Adesanya exacted his revenge.

ISRAEL ADESANYA KO's ALEX PEREIRA IN THE SECOND ROUND TO REGAIN THE UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CROWN 👑

🎥 @UFC | #UFC287

https://t.co/FEv75n15aZ

Unlike their first MMA fight, Alex Pereira started strong and put Adesanya on the backfoot in the opening round. Just as calf kicks were a heavy factor when they squared off last year, Pereira's powerful leg strikes were clearly affecting the challenger in the rematch.

In the second round, 'Poatan' landed a few more calf kicks, one of which buckled Adesanya as he backed into the fence. Pereira unleashed a combination on a cornered Adesanya, who shelled up and picked the perfect moment to throw a pinpoint right hook, and another, dropping the champion.

Adesanya landed one more for good measure, before his now-iconic bow-and-arrow celebration. Considering the style, technique, rivalry and stakes, this is undoubtedly the best knockout of 2023 so far.

Watch Israel Adesanya's KO below:

Slow motion shot of the Israel Adesanya's KO over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 https://t.co/j6n4aGVmKr