Following one of the most thrilling UFC events of the year and with Independence Day fireworks celebrations approaching for Americans, it`s the perfect moment to highlight the most explosive fighters currently competing in MMA.
Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee from MMA Fighting offer their selections, going division by division, for the heavy hitters who have distinguished themselves recently and are always capable of igniting the cage with a single powerful strike, much like a July 4th display.
Francis Ngannou
While Tom Aspinall has recently made a strong case in the heavyweight division, “The Predator” set the benchmark for explosive power. Now competing in the PFL, Ngannou`s UFC tenure included devastating knockouts like the one against Alistair Overeem. He even came close to stopping Tyson Fury in his boxing debut. He`s not just fireworks; he`s on a whole other level of explosive force.
Alex Pereira
Magomed Ankalaev deserves significant credit for surviving Pereira`s dangerous strikes in their recent bout. However, even in defeat, “Poatan`s” aura of power remained immense. Before Ankalaev managed to neutralize him, the former kickboxing champion had amassed an incredible highlight reel of knockouts in just four years. His soul-shaking finish of Jiri Prochazka, the viral shrug over a downed Jamahal Hill, and a surprising fifth-round TKO of Israel Adesanya that earned him a UFC title in record time are prime examples. When it comes to showcasing Pereira`s unreal punching power, you can`t go wrong with any of his finishes.
Khamzat Chimaev
No offense to middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, but when considering pure dynamite at 185 pounds, the focus is on his future challenger. Chimaev has been a relentless force since entering the octagon. Although his path to the top has faced obstacles like illness, injury, and weight issues, when “Borz” is at his best, he is one of the most feared fighters, and for good reason. Chimaev often dominates opponents with overwhelming force, making professional fighters look like training dummies before finishing them. And sometimes, instead of wrestling, he simply decides to deliver a fight-ending punch for the sheer impact.
Joaquin Buckley
Remember Joaquin Buckley`s spectacular spinning back kick knockout after catching his opponent`s kick? It was one of the coolest finishes ever seen. While that happened at middleweight, since moving down to 170 pounds, “New Mansa” has continued to deliver brutal finishes against opponents like Andre Fialho, Vicente Luque, and Stephen Thompson.
Ilia Topuria
Immediately following UFC 317, the official YouTube channel posted his knockout for free – that`s how impressive it was and how much the UFC wanted everyone to recognize him as the dominant force at 155 pounds. His work at 145 pounds was also outstanding. He`s the only fighter to knock out Max Holloway and the only one to defeat Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight. Topuria was arguably the best pound-for-pound knockout artist even before his dominant finish of Charles Oliveira.
Jean Silva
If Ilia Topuria were still in the featherweight division, this spot would undoubtedly belong to him. However, with Topuria moving up, “Lord” is doing his best to fill that explosive void. In five UFC fights, Jean Silva has achieved five stoppage victories – four by knockout and one by a brutal choke – earning three performance bonuses. Among the many talents emerging, Silva has the potential to be one of the brightest stars.
Malcolm Wellmaker
Speaking of emerging talents, Malcolm Wellmaker is definitely one to watch. A former pipe-fitter, he goes by “The Machine,” but that`s where the comparison to bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili ends. If Dvalishvili is a machine, he`s a slow, grinding press. Wellmaker is more like a T-800, designed to obliterate opponents in an instant, as Cameron Saaiman and Kris Moutinho can attest.
Manel Kape
Watching Manel Kape`s dominant performance against Bruno “Bulldog” Silva makes it clear why fans are eager for him to finally receive his flyweight title shot and another opportunity against Alexandre Pantoja. That was one of the most sustained beatdowns of the year, offering a glimpse of “Starboy`s” potential when he is performing at his peak. No one at 125 pounds can match Kape`s unique and dangerous “flow state,” making him capable of dominating anyone on the right night.
Amanda Nunes
Does this pick really need an explanation? Aside from being widely considered the greatest female fighter of all time (GOAT), Nunes holds the record for the most knockouts in UFC women’s history, along with numerous other records from her career of overwhelmingly defeating opponents. After all, she`s the woman who finished Cris Cyborg in under a minute. And she is set to return with a chance to add Kayla Harrison to her list of high-profile victims.
Dakota Ditcheva
How could we compile this list without including arguably the most exciting fighter in women’s MMA today? Once considered an intriguing prospect the PFL needed to develop carefully, that changed last year when Ditcheva exploded onto the scene with a spectacular tournament run. “Dangerous” lived up to her nickname, stopping four consecutive opponents to claim the PFL flyweight championship, including a dominant finish over Taila Santos in just two rounds. Overall, she has nine consecutive finishes under the PFL banner, making her an easy and obvious choice for this list.
Zhang Weili
The 115-pound strawweight division isn`t particularly known for one-punch knockout artists, but even if it were, Zhang Weili would have a strong case as its most dangerous finisher. Her spinning backfist knockout of fellow legend Joanna Jedrzejczyk is often considered one of the greatest KOs in women`s MMA history. Even when she doesn`t secure a finish, her formidable bursts of strength and athleticism can instantly change the momentum and outcome of a fight.
