The Best 2008 MMA Knockouts Outside the UFC

10. Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell

Result: Andrei Arlovski knocks out Ben Rothwell in round three

This was a fight where Ben Rothwell got the chance to show just how tough he is. Still, despite the amount of punches he was able to take throughout this encounter, an Arlovksi right followed by a right uppercut ended the fight and the night for the man from Miletich Fighting Systems.

9. KJ Noons vs. Yves Edwards

Result: KJ Noons defeats Yves Edwards by TKO in round one

Yves Edwards came in strong with strikes but would regret it later, as Noons landed a big right that dropped him while moving backwards. Then came some serious elbows and punches on the ground. Talk about finishing skills.

8. Pat Miletich vs. Thomas Denny

Result: Pat Miletich knocks out Thomas Denny in round two

Pat Miletich was once a great UFC champion. That said, after retirement he decided to come back in 2006, losing to Renzo Gracie by way of submission. That left a bad taste in his mouth, one that he wanted to erase.

Enter Pat Miletich vs. Thomas Denny at Adrenaline MMA 2 this year.

In the end, Miletich landed two huge right hands consecutively that put Denny out cold and left many wondering if the veteran fighter and trainer still had something significant left in the tank.

7. Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo

Result: Josh Barnett knocks out Pedro Rizzo in round two

Earlier in his career, Rizzo had knocked Barnett out. It was time for “The Babyface Assassin” to return the favor.

In the second round, Rizzo was backpedaling when Barnett landed a huge left hand. It was simply lights out for Rizzo, and revenge had been served.

6. Tyler Bryan vs. Shawn Parker

Result: The fight was ruled a no contest when both fighters knocked each other out at the same time.

Not a high profile fight at all. That said, anytime that two fighters connect with right hands that put each other out cold simultaneously, well, you have to give them a spot on a top 10 MMA knockouts list. What a rarity!

Check this one out on video!

5. Joachim Hansen vs. Shinya Aoki

Result: Joachim Hansen defeats Shinya Aoki by TKO in round one

People tend to have trouble connecting with big power on the ground because of leverage factors. In other words, ground and pound has been known to cut fighters and grind them out, but it rarely serves up knockout blows.

Then there are the exceptions to the rule, such as was the case at the DREAM 5 Lightweight Grand Prix Final when Joachim Hansen decided to stand up and then come down with a terrifically hard blow to Shinya Aoki’s face.

It did the trick. A couple of punches later and that was all she wrote for the favored Aoki. Joachim Hansen had once again proven his power and took home a grand prix championship.

4. Edson Berto vs. Yves Edwards

Result: Yves Edwards knocks out Edson Berto with a flying knee in round one

Berto wanted a takedown and shot in for a single leg. Unfortunately for him, Edwards was still able to knee him with his other leg. An amazing move that showed Edwards’ agility and put Berto out cold.

3. Kimbo Slice vs. Seth Petruzelli

Result: Seth Petruzelli defeats Kimbo Slice by way of first round TKO

Talk about shocking. First there was the fact that Ken Shamrock, not Seth Petruzelli, was supposed to be fighting Slice in the main event. But when an injury just before fight time made it impossible for Shamrock to take on Slice in the main event, Petruzelli stepped in on extremely short notice.

Recipe for a disaster for him, right? Wrong.

Early on, Slice came inside and got nailed with a right hand that floored him. From there came right hand after right hand on the ground until the referee was forced to stop the fight.

This was the last event that EliteXC put on after their biggest star fell in only 14 seconds.

2. Mark Hunt vs. Melvin Manhoef

Result: Melvin Manhoef knocks out Mark Hunt in round one

Mark Hunt is a true heavyweight that had never been knocked out previously to this bout in MMA. Heck, he’s also a former world championship kickboxer that had proven his toughness on that circuit as well. So how would Manhoef, a ridiculously athletic light heavyweight kickboxer, do against a bigger man that’s near impossible to knockout?

Great, that’s how.

Hunt came in ready to do harm and Manhoef immediately landed a left hook followed by a straight right. And that was that after only 18 seconds.

Wow!

1. Gegard Mousasi vs. Ronaldo Souza

Result: Gegard Mousasi wins by upkick knockout over Ronaldo Souza in round one

For the most part, you don’t want to end up on the ground with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. He’s a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu dynamo. But in this one case, it appears that the fighting gods made an exception.

Souza found himself standing over Mousasi on the ground. Mousasi landed an upkick with tremendous power. Souza then found himself out on the canvas.

An amazing and different kind of finish that netted Mousasi the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Championship and the number one spot on this top MMA knockouts list!