UFC: Power Ranking the Top 50 'Knockout of the Night' Winners

They are the lone reason that many casual fans watch the sport, the reason we sit on the edge of our seats for every second of every fight and the reason we spilled beer all over the guy next to us at the bar. Knockouts are the most exciting aspect of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Because they bring so much attention and revenue to the sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and most major MMA organizations decided to begin awarding a bonus check to the fighter with the most impressive knockout at each event.

Of all the UFC Knockout of the Nights that have been awarded since Tito Ortiz became the first to win the award in October 2006, here are the 50 most impressive and memorable.

50. Mark Hunt (vs. Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127)

With six straight losses heading into a fight with Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127, Mark Hunt was desperate for a win.

In the second round, Hunt earned that much-needed win with a spectacular knockout. As Tuchscherer dropped to the canvas, Hunt raised his fist victoriously and walked away.

49. Jon Jones (vs. Brandon Vera at UFC on Versus 1)

At UFC on Versus 1, Jon Jones earned the first of what is likely to be many Knockout of the Night awards in his career.

With less than two minutes remaining in the first round, Jones dropped a devastating elbow from Brandon Vera's guard. The elbow broke Vera's face in multiple places and allowed Jones to finish the fight with multiple follow-up punches.

48. Houston Alexander (vs. Alessio Sakara at UFC 75)

Coming off of an upset win over Keith Jardine in his UFC debut, Houston Alexander extended his UFC record to 2-0 with a brutal finish against Alessio Sakara.

Somehow, Sakara was able to survive an initial knee from the clinch, but Alexander pounced and finished the fight with some ground-and-pound.

Unfortunately, Alexander's success in the UFC would end there. Since knocking out Sakara, Alexander has gone 0-4 in the organization and has been released multiple times.

47. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (vs. Luiz Cane at UFC 106)

After making a name for himself in Pride Fighting Championships, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira joined his brother in making the move to the UFC.

In his debut with the organization, Nogueira took on Luiz Cane. Less than two minutes into the fight, Nogueira landed a hard left hook that dropped Cane and put an end to the fight.

Since the win over Cane, Nogueira has gone 1-2 in the UFC while struggling against wrestlers.

46. Roy Nelson (vs. Brendan Schaub at the Ultimate Fighter: Season 10 Finale)

Fighting for a UFC contract at The Ultimate Fighter: Season 10 Finale, Roy Nelson handed Brendan Schaub the only loss of his career in a first round knockout.

Nelson has gone 1-1 in the UFC since winning the reality show with this well-timed right hand. Nelson's next fight will be an important one as he takes on Frank Mir at UFC 130 in May 2011.

45. Junior Dos Santos (vs. Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC Live on Versus 1)

Junior Dos Santos is often credited with having the best striking in the heavyweight division. This left hook that dropped Gabriel Gonzaga is just one of many examples of how dangerous Dos Santos can be.

This knockout earned Dos Santos a chance to fight Roy Nelson for the chance to be named the top contender. Though he defeated Nelson, Dos Santos will be forced to prove himself in another fight for the top contender spot against Brock Lesnar.

44. Wanderlei Silva (vs. Keith Jardine at UFC 84)

After losing in his first fight in the UFC and his third in a row, Wanderlei Silva was in need of a win over Keith Jardine at UFC 84. It took all of 36 seconds for Silva to dispose of Jardine in a knockout.

However, Silva could not capitalize on the momentum from the victory as he went on to lose in his next two fights.

After the consecutive losses, Silva made the cut to middleweight, where he won his first fight against Michael Bisping.

43. Brendan Schaub (vs. Mirko Filipovic at UFC 128)

A legendary career may have come to an end as a result of this right hand from Brendan Schaub. After the fight, UFC President Dana White said that it would likely be the last time that Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic would fight in the UFC.

It was the fourth consecutive win for Schaub, who is quickly becoming a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division.

42. Mauricio Rua (vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 97)

At UFC 97, Chuck Liddell was knocked out for the second straight fight and third time in five fights. The knockout earned Mauricio "Shogun" Rua a title shot against Lyoto Machida.

Although Rua lost in a controversial decision in his first fight with Machida, he was able to claim the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in a rematch. Rua's reign as champion was short-lived, though, as he relinquished his title in his first attempted title defense against Jon Jones.

41. Rich Franklin (vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 115)

In his next fight after the loss to Mauricio Rua, Chuck Liddell fought Rich Franklin. After getting off to a strong start and breaking Franklin's arm, Liddell was dropped by a short left hook.

Since the loss, Liddell has announced his retirement from MMA and has accepted a promotional position with the UFC.

40. Paul Daley (vs. Dustin Hazelett at UFC 108)

After finishing Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut, Paul Daley then fought Dustin Hazelett. Daley blasted Hazelett with a left hand in the first round that sent him to the canvas.

Daley's next fight would come against Josh Koscheck. After the bell rang to mark the end of the third round, Daley threw a punch at Koscheck that resulted in his release from the organization.

39. Nate Marquardt (vs. Demian Maia at UFC 102)

Entering a bout against Demian Maia on a two-fight winning streak, Nate Marquardt landed a well-timed right hand that would give him his third straight win.

Marquardt's run ended there, however, as he lost against Chael Sonnen in his next appearance. The loss to Sonnen cost Marquardt a shot at the middleweight title.

38. Josh Koscheck (vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC Fight for the Troops)

Coming off of a loss to Thiago Alves, Josh Koscheck took his anger out on Yoshiyuki Yoshida's face. In the first round, Koscheck landed a right hand that likely would have knocked Yoshida down if it hadn't back him into the cage.

Another right was all that was needed for Koscheck to pick up the knockout victory and a bonus check for Knockout of the Night.

37. Melvin Guillard (vs. Evan Dunham at UFC Fight for the Troops 2)

Although he was on a three-fight winning streak heading into the fight, many people considered Melvin Guillard the underdog against Evan Dunham. Guillard quickly proved his doubters wrong by overwhelming Dunham in a first round finish.

Now considered a lightweight contender, Guillard will fight Shane Roller at UFC 132 in July 2011.

36. Mac Danzig (vs. Joe Stevenson at UFC 124)

After being on the wrong end of a poor Yves Lavigne stoppage, Mac Danzig returned to fight Joe Stevenson at UFC 124. Although many considered Stevenson the favorite, Danzig finished the fight in under two minutes.

Danzig's next fight will be against Donald Cerrone at UFC 131 in June 2011.

35. Carlos Condit (vs. Dan Hardy at UFC 120)

While Dan Hardy is known for his striking, Carlos Condit proved to be the better fighter at UFC 120 in front of Hardy's home-country fans in London, England.

Since the win, Condit has been battling a knee injury that forced him out of a fight with Chris Lytle.

34. Takanori Gomi (vs. Tyson Griffin at UFC Live on Versus 2)

After losing to Kenny Florian in his UFC debut, Takanori Gomi was looking for a win over Tyson Griffin to show that he could still compete with elite competition. Gomi did more than that with a devastating knockout that sent Griffin face-planting to the canvas.

Gomi would go on to lose his next fight, however, as Clay Guida submitted him in the second round.

33. Junior Dos Santos (vs. Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90)

Junior Dos Santos was thrown in with the sharks in his UFC debut against Fabricio Werdum, but Dos Santos shocked many with his uppercut that eventually resulted in Werdum's departure from the UFC.

Dos Santos continued his destruction of UFC heavyweights and is now 6-0 in the organization. Dos Santos' next fight against Brock Lesnar will give him a chance to be named the top contender and earn a fight against UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.

32. Paulo Thiago (vs. Josh Koscheck at UFC 95)

Another Brazilian making his debut against a highly-regarded fighter, Paulo Thiago also pulled off an upset with his knockout of Josh Koscheck. 

With the win, Thiago extended his unbeaten record to 11-0. However, Thiago proceeded to lose his next fight against Koscheck's training partner, Jon Fitch.

31. John Howard (vs. Daniel Roberts at UFC Live on Versus 1)

After pulling off a come-from-behind knockout against Dennis Hallman with five seconds remaining in the fight, John Howard met Daniel Roberts at UFC Live on Versus 1. What resulted was one of the more brutal knockouts that we have seen in the Octagon.

After defeating Roberts, Howard lost to Jake Ellenberger in a fight that saw Howard's eye swell to the size of a baseball.

30. Lyoto Machida (vs. Thiago Silva at UFC 94)

At 13-0 and coming off of a win over Tito Ortiz, Lyoto Machida was on his way to becoming UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. First, Machida had to get past Thiago Silva.

As the bell sounded to end the first round, Machida landed a right hand that knocked out an already grounded Thiago Silva. The win earned Machida a title shot against Rashad Evans, who Machida would beat in equally exciting fashion.

29. Dennis Siver (vs. Paul Kelly at UFC 105)

The spinning-back kick has become the trademark of Dennis Siver's arsenal. At UFC 105, Siver finished Paul Kelly with his second fight-ending spinning-back kick in just three fights.

After dropping his next fight to Ross Pearson, Siver rebounded and has earned himself a spot among the lightweight contenders with a decision win over George Sotiropoulos.

28. Anthony Johnson (vs. Kevin Burns at the Ultimate Fighter: Season 8 Finale)

In the third round of a rematch against Kevin Burns, Anthony Johnson landed a hard left head kick that immediately knocked Burns unconscious. Johnson had lost to Burns in his last fight because of an eye poke.

Johnson proceeded to win his next two fights before losing to Josh Koscheck. Recently, Johnson picked up a big win over Dan Hardy that did not excite the fans nearly as much as this knockout did.

27. Alessio Sakara (vs. Joe Vedepo at UFC Fight Night 15)

After losing to Chris Leben, Alessio Sakara fought Joe Vedepo in September 2008. In the first round, Sakara landed a head kick that wobbled Vedepo and eventually resulted in a knockout win for Sakara.

Sakara won two more fights after that before losing to Chris Weidman in a decision.

26. Matt Hamill (vs. Mark Munoz at UFC 96)

Matt Hamill had never really been known as a threat to finish a fight with a head kick, which is what made this knockout of Mark Munoz even more spectacular.

Hamill will have a great opportunity to become a light heavyweight contender in his next fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The two fighters will meet at UFC 130 in May 2011.

25. Dennis Siver (vs. Nate Mohr at UFC 93)

Prior to his spinning-back kick finish of Paul Kelly, Dennis Siver finished Nate Mohr with the same kick in the third round of their fight at UFC 93.

Siver has now won seven of his last eight fights and will take on Matt Wiman at UFC 132 in July 2011.

24. James Irvin (vs. Houston Alexander at UFC Fight Night 13)

In one of the fastest knockouts in UFC history, James Irvin finished Houston Alexander with a superman punch at eight seconds into the first round of their fight in April 2008.

However, Irvin went on to lose his next three fights and was released from the UFC. Outside of the organization, Irvin has not fared much better with a record of 1-2 with one no contest.

23. Thiago Alves (vs. Matt Hughes at UFC 85)

Although Thiago Alves missed weight by three pounds for his fight against Matt Hughes, the UFC could not resist handing Alves a bonus check for his Knockout of the Night that began with a perfectly executed flying knee.

Alves then won his next fight against Josh Koscheck before losing back-to-back fights against Georges St-Pierre and Jon Fitch.

22. Gerald Harris (vs. Dave Branch at UFC 116)

Gerald Harris was on a nine fight winning streak heading into UFC 116 and a fight with Dave Branch. In the third round, Harris lifted and slammed Branch into unconsciousness.

However, Harris had a disappointing showing in his next fight and was released from the UFC.

21. Pablo Garza (vs. Fredson Paixao at the Ultimate Fighter: Season 12 Finale)

With a flying knee knockout of Fredson Paizao, Pablo Garza introduced himself to UFC fans in spectacular fashion. The knockout put Graza back on a winning track as well after losing his previous fight to Tie Quan Zhang.

Garza's next fight will come against Yves Jabouin at UFC 129 at the end of the month.

20. Stefan Struve (vs. Christian Morecraft at UFC 117)

Stefan Struve has made a name for himself by producing exciting, come-from-behind victories. Struve's knockout of Christian Morecraft at UFC 117 was a great example of this. After being dominated in the first round, Struve hit Morecraft with a hook, while backed up against the fence, that ended the fight.

Struve's next fight will be against Travis Browne at UFC 130 in May 2011.

19. Jeremy Stephens (vs. Marcus Davis at UFC 125)

In the final round of a fight that he was likely losing at UFC 125, Jeremy Stephens hit Marcus Davis with a hard right hand that won him the fight and bounced Davis from the UFC.

With the win, Stephens avoided a second straight loss after dropping a split decision to Melvin Guillard. Stephens will now fight The Ultimate Fighter winner Jonathan Brookins at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

18. Mike Russow (vs. Todd Duffee at UFC 114)

Mike Russow had been unable to mount any offense against Todd Duffee for two and a half rounds. Just when it looked like the fight was going to go to a one-sided decision, Russow pulled off a shocking come-from-behind knockout.

Russow would also win his next fight against Jon Madsen. Russow has only lost one fight in his career against Sergei Kharitonov. 

17. Wilson Gouveia (vs. Jason Lambert at UFC 80)

On a three fight winning streak, Wilson Gouveia had his back to the fence in a fight against Jason Lambert. Gouveia landed a hook that knocked Lambert out at 37 seconds into the second round and extended his winning streak to four.

Gouveia then went 2-3 in his next five fights and was cut from the UFC. In his first fight outside of the UFC in nearly four years, Gouveia lost to Ryan Jimmo in a decision.

16. Rory Markham (vs. Brodie Farber at UFC Fight Night 14)

Brodie Farber came out strong against Rory Markham and landed a few big shots. While being pressured by Farber, Markham set his feet and landed a head kick that knocked Farber stiff.

It was quite a debut for Markham, but it would turn out to be his only win in the UFC. Markham lost his next two fights to Dan Hardy and Nate Diaz. Markham missed weight by six pounds for the Diaz fight, which likely factored into his release.

15. Shane Carwin (vs. Frank Mir at UFC 111)

Fighting for a title shot against Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin quickly disposed of Frank Mir. Carwin pressured Mir against the fence right away and began to land big uppercuts. Mir dropped to the canvas and ate more hard shots before Dan Miragliotta finally decided to step in.

Carwin ended up losing to Lesnar after dominating him in the first round. Carwin's next opponent will be UFC newcomer Jon Olav Einemo at UFC 131 in June 2011.

14. Vitor Belfort (vs. Rich Franklin at UFC 103)

Returning to the UFC for the first time in more than four years, Vitor Belfort impressed with a fast knockout of Rich Franklin at UFC 103. After dropping Franklin, Belfort finished the fight with multiple left hands to the temple. 

Belfort then battled injuries for more than a year before finally returning again to fight Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship. Belfort was knocked out by a front kick and his title hopes came to an end.

13. Cain Velasquez (vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110)

At UFC 110, an undefeated Cain Velasquez knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira with a left hook. The win earned Velasquez a shot at the UFC Heavyweight Championship.

After waiting for more than eight months for his title shot, Velasquez finally defeated Brock Lesnar to claim the belt. An injury will now postpone Velasquez's first title defense, which will be against the winner of a fight between Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar.

12. Quinton Jackson (vs. Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92)

After losing to Wanderlei Silva on multiple occasions while in Pride, Quinton Jackson returned the favor with a knockout at UFC 92. The fight was Jackson's first after losing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship to Forrest Griffin.

Jackson then defeated Keith Jardine before taking more than one year away from fighting to focus on acting in The A-Team. 

11. Rashad Evans (vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 88)

Also undefeated and hungry for a title shot, Rashad Evans earned one with this knockout of Chuck Liddell.

Evans proceeded to capture the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with another finish of Foorest Griffin, but was unable to defend his title in a knockout loss to Lyoto Machida.

10. B.J. Penn (vs. Matt Hughes at UFC 123)

After losing two straight fights to Frankie Edgar, B.J. Penn made the move to welterweight, where he fought Matt Hughes for the third time in his career. Penn showed that he was ready to make another run at a title with his first round knockout of Hughes.

In his next fight, Penn fought to a draw against Jon Fitch. A rematch was scheduled, but has been scrapped due to an injury suffered by Fitch.

9. Anderson Silva (vs. Rich Franklin at UFC 77)

After knocking out Rich Franklin to become the UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva met Franklin once again in a title defense. For the second straight time, Silva finished Franklin with a knee from the clinch.

The win marked Silva's second straight title defense. Now, Silva is preparing for his ninth consecutive title defense more than three years later.

8. Cain Velasquez (vs. Brock Lesnar at UFC 121)

Even though he had lost to Frank Mir and been dominated in the first round of a fight with Shane Carwin, people still wondered what it would take to defeat Brock Lesnar. Lesnar's size was predicted to give Cain Velasquez some problems.

However, Velasquez was able to escape after a Lesnar takedown and finish the fight on his feet. Lesnar will have the opportunity for revenge if he is able to defeat Junior Dos Santos at UFC 131 in June 2011.

7. Quinton Jackson (vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 71)

Looking to defend his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship for a fifth straight time, Chuck Liddell was knocked out by Quinton Jackson at UFC 71.

The knockout was the beginning of the end for Liddell, who lost four of his next five fights after losing to Jackson.  

6. Mauricio Rua (vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 113)

After losing a controversial decision to Lyoto Machida in their first fight, Maurico Rua made sure that the rematch was not left in the hands of the judges by knocking out Machida with a right hook in the first round.

The win gave Rua the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, which he would not hold onto for long as he lost to Jon Jones in his first attempted title defense.

5. Lyoto Machida (vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 97)

Lyoto Machida extended his undefeated record to 15-0 and earned the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship with his impressive knockout victory of Rashad Evans at UFC 97.

Machida defended his belt once, but not without controversy, before being knoced out by Mauricio Rua. Machida's next fight will be against MMA legend Randy Couture in a fight that Machida needs to win to prevent a third consecutive loss.

4. Dan Henderson (vs. Michael Bisping at UFC 100)

After the two fighters appeared as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, Dan Henderson knocked out Michael Bisping with his patented overhand right. Then, Henderson added a brutal blow to an already unconscious Bisping for good measure.

Henderson left the UFC after this fight due to heated contract negotiations. Henderson is now the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion after defeated Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante.

3. Anderson Silva (vs. Forrest Griffin at UFC 101)

In a fight that displayed Anderson Silva's greatness, Forrest Griffin was embarrassed before finally being finished by Silva in the first round. The knockout blow came as Silva was leaning backward to avoid a telegraphed Griffin punch.

Silva has not fought at light heavyweight again since defeating Griffin and has stated that he will likely remain at middleweight until he retires from the sport.

2. Anderson Silva (vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 126)

After many began to question if he was starting to fade after his fight with Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva responded with one of the greatest knockouts in MMA history. At UFC 126, Silva defended his belt for an eighth straight time with a front kick to the face of Vitor Belfort.

Silva's next opponent is not known at this time, but a superfight with Georges St-Pierre is a possibility.

1. Gabriel Gonzaga (vs. Mirko Filipovic at UFC 70)

Heading into UFC 70, a lot of people may have picked a fight between Mirko Filipovic and Gabriel Gonzaga as a potential Knockout of the Night candidate. However, those people would not have ever foreseen what was about to happen.

Filipovic, who was well-known for his highlight reel of head kick knockouts, was finished by a right head kick from Gonzaga. The irony was strong in this knockout and Filipovic was never able to regain the form he showed while in Pride.