Conor McGregor’s five best UFC knockouts, from the famous 13-second finish to the sensational spinning kick

Conor McGregor is aiming for his 20th MMA knockout in 2024.

The charismatic Irishman became the sport’s biggest star by combining his wacky personality and vicious one-liners with a fearsome ability to knock people out.

In December 2012, “Notorious” was called up to Dana White’s promotion where he turned Ivan Buchinger into a statue with a brutal one-shot knockout.

The KOs in the Octagon continued, eventually leading to him making history as the UFC’s first dual-weight champion at featherweight and lightweight.

Ahead of his return to face Michael Chandler later this year, talkSPORT.com has ranked the five best KOs McGregor has achieved during his 11-year run with the MMA leader.

5. Marcus Brimage | UFC Stockholm | April 2013

McGregor took the stage with a brilliant 67-second victory over Brimage, who came into the fight with a 6-1 record after a stint on The Ultimate Fighter.

Brimage went aggressive, but this proved to be a big mistake as McGregor’s trademark left shot bounced off the American’s chin every time it came within range.

A massive uppercut-hook combination was the beginning of the end.

McGregor followed up with several uppercuts before sending his defeated rival to the ground with a series of punches from all directions.

“Mystic Mac” went into the fight unemployed and demanded a $60,000 bonus in his post-fight interview before becoming the richest athlete in the world in 2021.

Brimage lost six of his next seven fights before retiring from MMA and, oddly enough, starting professional pillow fighting in 2022 – there is such a thing.

4. Diego Brandao | UFC Dublin | July 2014

By July 2014, McGregor’s fame had risen to the point where the UFC decided to return to the Irish capital for the first time in five years.

In the first round, the now 35-year-old hit Diego Brandao with a spinning back kick that dropped him to one knee and signaled the beginning of the end.

Although he wanted to fight the fire with the same means, the Brazilian was trapped by the fence before he had to take a violent left punch that finally knocked him to the ground.

Referee Leon Roberts only needed to see a few more punches to stop the fight, sparking wild cheers from the Irish crowd.

Ten years later, the atmosphere at UFC Dublin is still second to none.

3. Donald Cerrone | UFC 246 | January 2020

McGregor’s last UFC win was quick, brutal and unique – Cerrone didn’t even get going before he was knocked out by MMA’s biggest star.

In his first fight in two years, McGregor quickly found himself in a clinch position and responded by hitting “Cowboy” with a series of unorthodox shoulder strikes.

When they separated, it was clear that Cerrone’s eye was almost swollen shut from the close-range shots.

McGregor smelled blood and ended the show in sensational fashion in just 40 seconds when he sent his comeback opponent to the ground with a massive kick to the head.

Cerrone was curled up against the fence when the referee mercifully intervened and saved him from further injury.

2. Eddie Alvarez | UFC 205 | November 2016

McGregor’s peak performance came in his fight against Alvarez during a historic UFC show.

At the first-ever UFC event in New York, McGregor knocked down his rival four times en route to a second-round stoppage victory, becoming the promotion’s first two-weight champion.

The final sequence was something special, as Alvarez was hit by a four-punch combination – which he apparently didn’t see coming – before taking two more punches and falling to the ground.

A truly memorable performance, capped off by McGregor’s “fake apology speech” and considered one of the most iconic moments in UFC history.

1. Jose Aldo | UFC 194 | December 2015

Of course, McGregor’s win over Aldo is at the top of our KO list.

After months of mentally terrorizing the legendary Brazilian, McGregor, as a clear underdog, finally had to back up his words.

Amazingly, he pulled off a monumental upset by knocking out Aldo, who had been undefeated for 10 years prior to UFC 194, with one punch in just 13 seconds.

The knockout sent shockwaves through the world of MMA and became even more epic when footage of him practicing the sequence backstage went viral.

McGregor promised his rival a rematch, but that never happened. Nevertheless, they became unlikely friends and Aldo will support his former opponent in every fight to help him defeat Chandler.

The two men were scheduled to face each other at UFC 303 on June 29, but a toe injury forced McGregor to pull out of the fight, which he hopes to postpone until August or September.