Conor McGregor has more knockdowns per 15 minutes in the UFC than Francis Ngannou
MMA By The Numbers has revealed that Conor McGregor has more knockdowns per 15 minutes in the UFC than Francis Ngannou.
There have been some truly iconic strikers that have graced the UFC octagon over the years and that's true across all weight classes. From champions to contenders and beyond, there's no limit to just how effective someone can be when that cage door shuts behind them.
Conor McGregor is a former two-weight world champion, while Francis Ngannou currently serves as the UFC heavyweight champion. While they may be heading in different directions right now, that doesn't mean history will forget what they've achieved.
Ngannou will defend his belt against Ciryl Gane on Saturday night at UFC 270. Ahead of the pay-per-view, MMA By The Numbers has produced a list of statistical strikers.
At the top of the list for most knockdowns per 15 minutes, one place above McGregor, sits Pat Barry. One spot higher than Ngannou in third is Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson. Closing out the top five is Khalil Rountree.
Most knockdowns per 15 minutes, UFC history (10+ fights)
1. Pat Barry (1.74)
2. Conor McGregor (1.73)
3. Rumble Johnson (1.66)
4. Francis Ngannou (1.64)
5. Khalil Rountree (1.62)
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A few of these names will be surprising additions to the list. However, with regards to McGregor, Johnson and Ngannou, all three are commonly known as elite-level and powerful strikers - whether it be in their prime or not.
How has Conor McGregor performed lately?
In 2021, McGregor fought Dustin Poirier on two separate occasions and lost both times - once via TKO and once through a doctor's stoppage. While McGregor performed admirably and even rocked Poirier at times, 'The Notorious' megastar was unable to knock his fellow lightweight to the canvas.
The last time that happened was in January 2020, when the Irishman used a head kick followed by a barrage of punches to put Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone away.
Prior to that he was defeated by Khabib Nurmagomedov in a UFC lightweight title fight. That came on the heels of arguably the most iconic win of his career over Eddie Alvarez.
On that night, McGregor showed the best version of himself in front of a capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden.
In the present day, some wonder whether we'll ever see that side of him again. We'll likely find out the answer when the Irishman returns to action in 2022.