Champ-vs-champ rematch ends in swift head kick

October 2023 saw a thrilling month of MMA action, and MMA Junkie presents the top knockouts of the month. Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and the winner of MMA Junkie’s prestigious Knockout of the Month award for October.

Let us know your pick by voting for your favorite at the end of the article.

Nominees

Nominee: Bobby Green def. Grant Dawson at UFC Fight Night 229

In a surprising upset, Bobby Green (31-15-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) knocked out Grant Dawson (20-2-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) in the first round of their lightweight main event.

Green displayed confidence from the beginning, keeping his hands low. He caught Dawson with a powerful left hand that sent him crashing to the ground. Green continued the assault, and the referee had to intervene just 33 seconds into the fight.

Nominee: Marquel Mederos def. Issa Isakov at DWCS 66

Knees proved to be the knockout weapon of choice at Dana White’s Contender Series finale, and Marquel Mederos (8-1) delivered one of the best against Issa Isakov (10-3).

In the first round of the lightweight bout, Mederos advanced and landed a devastating knee to Isakov’s jaw. Isakov crumpled to the canvas, earning Mederos a well-deserved UFC contract.

Nominee: Terrance McKinney def. Brendon Marotte at UFC Fight Night 230

Terrance McKinney (15-6 MMA, 5-3 UFC) entered the fight as the heavy favorite and proved why as he dominated Brendon Marotte (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

In just 20 seconds, McKinney dispatched Marotte. McKinney unleashed a jumping knee that connected perfectly, sending Marotte to the ground. McKinney quickly followed up with punches until the referee stopped the fight.

Nominee: Mike Breeden def. Anshul Jubli at UFC 294

Mike Breeden (11-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) showcased his resilience on the way to his first UFC victory after three consecutive losses.

Breeden weathered an early storm and then launched a relentless attack on Anshul Jubli (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) to secure the knockout victory in the third round of their lightweight clash. Despite enduring significant damage initially, Breeden turned the tide and emerged victorious.

The winner

The winner: Islam Makhachev def. Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294

Islam Makhachev’s second victory over Alexander Volkanovski was even more decisive than their first encounter.

In the main event of UFC 294, Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) finished Volkanovski (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) with a head kick and punches at 3:06 of the first round.

The left high kick proved to be the game-changing move. Makhachev utilized this technique frequently in their initial meeting, where he emerged victorious by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in February.

Volkanovski collapsed against the cage, while Makhachev quickly capitalized on the opportunity and delivered hammerfist blows as blood trickled down Volkanovski’s face. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in to end the bout.

With this win, Makhachev successfully defended his title for the second time and extended his winning streak to 13. Originally scheduled to face Charles Oliveira, who withdrew due to injury, Makhachev proved his dominance in the octagon once again.

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Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie