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With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from January 2025: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Knockout of the Month award for January.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting for your choice.
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Nominees
Erick Visconde def. Ary Farias at LFA 199
Shortly into the second round of their featherweight fight, Erick Visconde landed a spinning back elbow straight to the chin against Ary Farias. The shot sent Farias into face plant mode.
The 28-year-old Visconde (15-3), from Brazil, went 2-1 in 2024 under the LFA banner. But the knockout against Farias (14-5) will be his most decorated highlight yet as he rotated and shuts the lights off in devastating fashion.
Jacobe Smith def. Preston Parsons at UFC Fight Night 249
Jacobe Smith showed why he’s a prospect to watch in the welterweight division with a brutal knockout of Preston Parsons in his octagon debut.
Stepping in on just eight days’ notice, Dana White’s Contender Series signee Smith (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) wasted little time finding the chin of Parsons (11-6 MMA, 2-4 UFC) with a vicious cross that led to the finish in just 73 seconds.
Rocky Soboya def. Riran Zenidim at FFC 86
Rocky Soboya delivered an action-packed 34 seconds against Riran Zenidim in their flyweight bout, and his reward was a spectacular knockout finish.
Soboya (2-4) decided to slam Zenidim (4-5-1) not just once, but twice to get out a triangle choke attempt. The second one had a massive impact, and it turned the lights out cold his opponent in a wild sequence.
Jiri Prochazka def. Jamahal Hill at UFC 311
Jiri Prochazka got back to his old ways as he scored a third-round knockout of Jamahal Hill to conclude an entertaining scrap between the former UFC light heavyweight champions.
After both delivering big shots throughout the contest, Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) landed best in the closing minutes of the final round that dropped Hill (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC). He pounced on top and landed some more shots until the referee waved it off.
The winner
Cesar Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC Fight Night 249
Cesar Almeida turned the tables on Abdul Razak Alhassan in violent fashion during their middleweight bout.
After absorbing a knockdown from Alhassan (12-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) early in the contest, Almeida (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) got back to his feet and engaged in a firefight. He tucked his chin and connected with a huge punch, putting the lights out on his opponent in an incredible, highlight-reel comeback finish.
Alhassan was down for several minutes after the knockout punch landed, but eventually got up to the stool and left the octagon under his own power.
Almeida, meanwhile celebrated the result that was the high point of his early UFC career.
“I knew when I accepted the fight it was a dangerous fight,” Almeida said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “I knew I needed this fight to grow in the division and get up there (in the rankings). He almost finished the fight, and I got back and found the KO. I am so happy. Cesar ‘The King’ is back, motherf*ckers.”
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