Every Conor McGregor UFC Knockout | Full KO Highlights
Every Conor McGregor knockout in the UFC
Conor McGregor built his reputation with timing, accuracy and an ability to make elite fighters look badly out of position. This collection brings together every McGregor knockout in the UFC, from his explosive debut against Marcus Brimage to the 40-second destruction of Donald Cerrone.
Eight UFC opponents were stopped by “The Notorious,” including two world champions and several established contenders. Some finishes came through sustained pressure. Others needed only one clean left hand.
Marcus Brimage becomes McGregor’s first UFC knockout
Marcus Brimage welcomed McGregor to the UFC in April 2013. The Irish newcomer arrived with plenty of attention from his Cage Warriors championship run, but there were still questions about how his style would translate against stronger international competition.
McGregor answered them in just over a minute. He repeatedly caught Brimage with uppercuts and straight punches before forcing the stoppage at 1:07 of the opening round. The performance introduced UFC fans to the movement, confidence and precision that would soon make McGregor the promotion’s biggest star.
Diego Brandao is stopped in front of the Dublin crowd
McGregor’s first UFC main event came against Diego Brandao in Dublin. Brandao carried knockout power and an aggressive style, but he struggled to deal with McGregor’s range from the beginning.
McGregor controlled the exchanges, backed Brandao toward the fence and finished him with punches late in round one. The victory turned a loud Irish homecoming into something much bigger. McGregor was no longer simply an entertaining prospect; he was becoming a serious UFC featherweight contender.
Dustin Poirier falls in the first round at UFC 178
Dustin Poirier represented McGregor’s first meeting with a highly ranked featherweight. The buildup became personal, and Poirier entered expecting to expose the weaknesses behind McGregor’s confidence.
Instead, McGregor found the finish after only 106 seconds. A left hand caught Poirier near the side of the head, and follow-up punches ended the fight. The stoppage sent McGregor rapidly toward the top of the division and began a rivalry that would eventually continue twice more at lightweight.
Dennis Siver leads McGregor toward a title shot
Veteran contender Dennis Siver survived longer than McGregor’s previous UFC opponents, but he spent much of the fight absorbing kicks and straight left hands.
McGregor dropped Siver during the second round, followed him to the mat and finished the fight with ground strikes. He then climbed out of the Octagon to confront featherweight champion José Aldo in the crowd, creating one of the most replayed post-fight scenes of his early UFC run.
Chad Mendes pushes McGregor before the finish
Chad Mendes stepped into the UFC 189 interim title fight on short notice after Aldo withdrew. Mendes gave McGregor his toughest UFC test to that point, repeatedly landing takedowns and controlling him from top position.
McGregor kept attacking the body whenever the fight returned to the feet. Mendes began to slow, and McGregor trapped him near the fence with punches late in the second round. The stoppage gave McGregor the interim featherweight championship and proved he could survive serious adversity before finding a finish.
The 13-second José Aldo knockout changes UFC history
The fight with José Aldo was promoted for months, but the action lasted only 13 seconds. Aldo rushed forward with a combination, McGregor stepped back and landed a perfectly timed left hand.
Aldo fell immediately, and one follow-up strike completed the fastest championship knockout in UFC history. McGregor became the undisputed featherweight champion and delivered the finish that remains most closely associated with his career.
Eddie Alvarez is picked apart at UFC 205
McGregor moved up to challenge lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at the UFC’s first event inside Madison Square Garden.
It became one of the cleanest championship performances in UFC history. McGregor dropped Alvarez several times, controlled the range and rarely allowed the champion to build any offence. A four-punch combination ended the contest in round two.
The victory made McGregor the first fighter to hold two UFC divisional championships simultaneously. He stood in the centre of Madison Square Garden with both the featherweight and lightweight belts, completing a rise that had started only three years earlier.
Donald Cerrone is overwhelmed in 40 seconds
After more than a year away from MMA, McGregor returned at welterweight against Donald Cerrone. The fight was expected to test whether his timing had survived the long absence.
McGregor attacked immediately. Unusual shoulder strikes damaged Cerrone in the clinch, a head kick dropped him and punches forced the stoppage after only 40 seconds. It remains McGregor’s most recent UFC victory heading into his latest comeback.
Conor McGregor returns against Max Holloway at UFC 329
McGregor now returns after five years away to face Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas. Their first meeting in 2013 ended with McGregor winning by decision, making Holloway one of the few opponents from his early UFC rise who survived to the final horn.
The Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway rematch takes place at welterweight, more than a decade after both men became UFC champions. Their recent face-to-face interview showed that neither has forgotten the first fight.
UFC 329 also features King Green vs Terrance McKinney, Nikita Krylov vs Robert Whittaker and Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson facing Elisha Ellison in Steveson vs Ellison.
Read the latest UFC 329 predictions and odds before McGregor makes another walk to the Octagon. His old knockouts explain how he became a global star. The Holloway rematch will reveal how much of that timing and finishing instinct remains.
