Best Finishes, UFC 300 Edition | Pt. 2

UFC 300 features 13 bouts, 26 athletes … and just one Octagon debut. These experienced fighters were hand-picked for their dynamic abilities. And we plan to showcase each one before showtime in “Sin City” — here’s our second installment of our three-part, highlight-reel series.

Everyone loves finishes in mixed martial arts (MMA), whether they’re flat-lining knockouts or sneaky strangulations. The historic UFC 300 will take place this weekend (Sat., April 13, 2024) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pay-per-view (PPV) card features fighters who have had some of the most memorable finishes in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history.

Checkout Part 2 (of 3) for the best finishes from every fighter competing at UFC 300 (full card here).

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

Jiri Prochazka

Opponent: Dominick Reyes
Event: UFC Vegas 25

Following his excellent Octagon debut in which Jiri Prochazka — who looks to get back on track at the expense of Aleksandar Rakic this weekend — starched Volkan Oezdemir, Prochazka was awarded a UFC main event against former Light Heavyweight title challenger, Dominick Reyes. And he turned heads with a brutal spinning back elbow knockout.

Aleksandar Rakic

Opponent: Jimi Manuwa
Event: UFC Fight Night 153

Very few knockouts are seared into my brain, but when Aleksandar Rakic flatlined Jimi Mauwa in Sweden with a devastating head kick five years ago, my jaw dropped. The way Manuwa landed was beyond brutal, especially with his head bouncing off the canvas. “Poster Boy” retired two days after the fight.

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Calvin Kattar

Opponent: Jeremy Stephens
Event: UFC 249

When the world was on lockdown and needed violence, Calvin Kattar — who welcomes former Bantamweight roost-ruler, Aljamain Sterling, to the Featherweight ranks — delivered in spades when he absolutely steamrolled Jeremy Stephens with a brutal elbow.

Aljamain Sterling

Opponent: Cory Sandhagen
Event: UFC 250

Less than one month after Kattar plastered Stephens, Aljamain Sterling faced Cory Sandhagen in a No. 1 contender eliminator match. Sterling put Sandhagen to sleep in less than two minutes, becoming the first fighter to finish “Sand Man” and only the second person to defeat him. “Funkmaster” would win the Bantamweight title nine months later … via disqualification.

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Holly Holm

Opponent: Ronda Rousey
Event: UFC 193

One of the most iconic knockouts of all-time belongs to Holly Holm, who will welcome former Professional Fighters League (PFL) superstar, Kayla Harrison, to the Octagon this weekend. The brilliant finish occurred on Nov. 15, 2015, in Melbourne, Australia, against Ronda Rousey. It was the head kick heard around the world, and it was the knockout that obliterated Rousey’s undefeated record … and fearsome mystique.

Kayla Harrison

Opponent: Courtney King
Event: Invicta FC 43

Kayla Harrison does not have a finish in UFC because she is making her highly-anticipated promotional debut at UFC 300. The two-time Jude Olympic gold medalist does have several finishes in other organizations, and by far, her most brutal stoppage came against Courtney King at Invicta FC 43 — a one-off fight to keep her active during her Professional Fighters League (PFL) run.

Harrison beat the breaks off of King, leaving her in a pool of her own blood.

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Sodiq Yusuff

Opponent: Gabriel Benitez
Event: UFC 241

“Super” Sodiq Yusuff — who tangles with Diego Lopes on Saturday night — has three finishes in UFC. And his best one is from when he had the opportunity to compete on his first-ever PPV card, UFC 241. Yusuff knocked out Gabriel Benitez in the first round.

Diego Lopes

Opponent: Gavin Tucker
Event: UFC Nashville

Lopes has made a considerable impact in a short amount of time with just three fights with the promotion, earning three “Performances of the Night” bonuses. After losing his Octagon debut to a Top 10-ranked fighter, Lopes rebounded against Gavin Tucker in spectacular fashion, becoming the first person to tap “Guv’Nor.”

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 300 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 300: “Pereira vs. Hill” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.