Top 10 Bare Knuckle Knockouts of All Time (2026 Update)
Bare knuckle fighting produces some of the most spectacular knockouts in combat sports. Without gloves to cushion the blow, fights end in sudden, violent fashion. These are the ten most devastating bare knuckle knockouts ever recorded, updated for 2026.
For the best active fighters in the sport today, see our top 10 bare knuckle fighters of 2026 rankings.
10. Uly Diaz vs Donelei Benedetto (BKFC 14, 2020)
Uly Diaz set a record that seemed untouchable when he blitzed Donelei Benedetto with a whipping right hook just three seconds into their bout. Benedetto was unconscious before anyone in the arena could process what had happened. Diaz even predicted the record-setting finish beforehand.
Round: 1 | Method: Right hook KO (0:03) | Event: BKFC 14
9. Justin Watson vs Cole Ferrell (BKFC 69, 2024)
Watson shattered Diaz's record at BKFC 69 in Atlanta, needing just 2.9 seconds to end Cole Ferrell's night. Watson stepped forward and uncorked a single right hand to the forehead that sent Ferrell face-first to the canvas. What made it even more shocking: Watson entered as a massive +607 betting underdog.
Round: 1 | Method: Right hand KO (0:02) | Event: BKFC 69
8. Christine Ferea vs Britain Hart (BKFC 5, 2019)
Ferea established herself as the most dangerous woman in bare knuckle with a second-round TKO of Britain Hart to claim the Police Gazette Women's Featherweight American Championship. A deep cut over Hart's eye forced the doctor to wave off the fight, capping a dominant performance by Ferea. See more in our top 10 women's bare knuckle fights.
Round: 2 | Method: TKO (doctor stoppage, cut) at 1:09 | Event: BKFC 5
7. Hector Lombard vs Kendall Grove (BKFC 12, 2020)
Former UFC middleweight Hector Lombard brought his Cuban boxing pedigree to BKFC and unleashed devastating power on fellow UFC veteran Kendall Grove. Lombard dropped Grove three times in the opening round before the referee had seen enough at 1:50. The knockout demonstrated why elite MMA strikers can dominate bare knuckle boxing.
Round: 1 | Method: TKO (punches) at 1:50 | Event: BKFC 12
6. Luis Palomino vs Jim Alers (BKFC 14, 2020)
The rivalry between former training partners turned bitter, and Palomino made sure it ended quickly. Defending his BKFC lightweight title, Palomino stormed across the ring and dropped Alers twice in 44 seconds to retain his 155-pound belt. The emphatic finish helped put BKFC on the mainstream map.
Round: 1 | Method: KO (punches) at 0:44 | Event: BKFC 14
5. Mike Perry vs Luke Rockhold (BKFC 41, 2023)
The matchup between UFC veterans delivered a brutal finish when Perry battered the former UFC middleweight champion, breaking Rockhold's teeth with vicious punches along the ropes. Rockhold could not continue and retired on his stool, giving Perry the TKO win. Rockhold announced his retirement from combat sports immediately afterward. Perry's bare knuckle career has been covered extensively in our every UFC fighter in bare knuckle list.
Watch Mike Perry vs Luke Rockhold Full Fight on YouTube
Round: 2 | Method: TKO (retirement) at 1:15 | Event: BKFC 41
4. Jason Knight vs Artem Lobov II (BKFC 9, 2019)
In one of the bloodiest fights in BKFC history, Knight avenged his first loss to Lobov with a dominant rematch performance. After battering Lobov for five rounds, Knight landed a devastating left hand to Lobov's eye in the fifth round that sent him to the canvas for the finish. The Lobov-Knight rivalry across two fights is widely credited with legitimizing BKFC as a serious promotion.
Round: 5 | Method: KO (left hand) | Event: BKFC 9
3. Mike Perry vs Thiago Alves (KnuckleMania IV, 2024)
Perry needed exactly 60 seconds to destroy fellow UFC veteran Thiago Alves in the main event of KnuckleMania IV in Los Angeles. A vicious left hook along the ropes sent Alves crashing to the canvas. Alves made it back to his feet but was clearly finished, and the referee waved it off. The arena erupted as Perry extended his undefeated BKFC record.
Round: 1 | Method: TKO (left hook) at 1:00 | Event: KnuckleMania IV
2. Jeremy Stephens vs Eddie Alvarez (KnuckleMania V, 2025)
Two former UFC champions meeting in bare knuckle was already historic. After Alvarez took the first two rounds, Stephens stormed back in the third, dropping the former UFC lightweight champion twice with thunderous right hands. Alvarez's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel. The sold-out Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia erupted, and BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor immediately confronted Stephens in the ring to set up a future fight.
Round: 3 | Method: TKO (corner stoppage) at 2:00 | Event: KnuckleMania V
1. Ben Rothwell vs Mick Terrill (KnuckleMania V, 2025)
Perhaps the single most violent knockout in bare knuckle history. Former UFC heavyweight Rothwell loaded up a right hand and connected flush with reigning champion Terrill's jaw. Terrill was unconscious instantly, crumpling to the canvas in just 36 seconds. One punch was all it took for Rothwell to claim the BKFC heavyweight championship in the co-main event of KnuckleMania V. The knockout went viral across social media and stands as one of the most devastating one-punch finishes in combat sports.
Round: 1 | Method: Right hand KO at 0:36 | Event: KnuckleMania V
Honorable Mentions
- Eddie Alvarez vs Chad Mendes (BKFC 41, 2023) - Split decision war with four knockdowns
- Joey Beltran vs Tony Lopez (BKFC 1, 2018) - The fight that launched BKFC
- Artem Lobov vs Jason Knight I (BKFC 5, 2019) - Five-round bloodbath with multiple knockdowns
- Dat Nguyen vs Abdiel Velasquez (BKFC 10, 2020) - First-round knockout cold
What Makes Bare Knuckle Knockouts Different
Without 10-ounce gloves distributing the impact, bare knuckle strikes concentrate force on a smaller area. This creates more cuts but, counterintuitively, may cause fewer concussions than gloved boxing. However, when a clean shot does land on the chin, the knockout is often more sudden and dramatic. Learn more about the science in our bare knuckle safer than boxing analysis.