Well, there have been many great knockout specialists in the history of fighting sports, some of us had the privilege of watching Rocky Marciano pile through his opponents in the 1950s while most of us have witnessed the sheer brutality of the sport at the peak of the boxing era through the magical hands of iconic fighters such as George Foreman and Mike Tyson.
However, with its relatively small history, UFC has not provided us with many legends that can even be mentioned in the same phrase as the aforementioned icons. Nevertheless, recently one man has worked his way up the ladder through the sheer power of his punches, knocking down specialized fighter after fighter to reinvent the sport in his image.
If you think Conor McGregor was the best MMA knockout specialist in UFC history then you can never be more wrong. The fighter we are talking about is Francis N’Gannou, who will be facing the heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury this October 28 in Riyadh.
You can catch them in action exclusively on DAZN PPV. All you need is a fast-speed and reliable internet connection to enjoy the bout and its most clinical moments. One good option is Xfinity, which is already quite popular among the UFC community. So, for the best experience, check out Xfinity internet deals for more information.
We admit that Tyson Fury would be a tough nut to crack but as far as Francis’s candidacy for the heavyweight title is concerned, we will prove why he is the real deal and one of the best knockout specialists in the world right now by simply revisiting five of his best knockouts till date.
So, without further ado! Let’s get going.
Francis N’Gannou’s Vs. Cain Velasquez
Talk about sending a former heavyweight champion back to retirement.
The force of Francis’s punches was witnessed around the globe when he finished a former world champion in a matter of seconds. One thing is for sure, Cain Velasquez didn’t expect this from a comeback fight that he had been preparing for over three years.
As it happened or as Velasquez put it, he lost the fight as his left knee buckled early on the fight, leading to his unfortunate demise through a flurry of punches he didn’t see coming. According to his own admission, none of the punches grazed him and he fell down simply because his knee gave up on him.
However, coming into the fight Velasquez was by far in one of the best shapes in his entire career and what happened can be called an unforced error on his part. But it was certainly N’Gannou’s punches that dropped him flat beyond the point of any recovery.
Francis N’Gannou’s Vs. Junior Dos Santos
N’Gannou’s has made it a habit of dropping former champions like fresh cake.
One of these displays involved former Heavyweight king Junior Dos Santos in his 2019 fight against Francis, where the fight only lasted 60 seconds finishing with a short and crisp counter uppercut right in the jaw after JDS missed an overhand.
The loss happened as JDS gravely underestimated Francis’s ability to counterpunch and hit meaty punches right at the get-go. N’Gannou also had momentum with him as he was coming to this fight after a historic win against Derrick Lewis – the last man to beat him within the octagon.
Nonetheless, the counterpunch was one for the ages as like a professional boxer, Francis shocked JDS through the initial power of his punch that imbalanced and perplexed him beforefinally succumbing to the returning finishing blows in a matter of seconds.
Francis N’Gannou’s Vs. Luis Henrique
Another uppercut that rightfully carves its own space within the history books.
Though the highlight of the fight was Francis’s outrageous haircut, however, the amazing thing about this fight that will even amaze the flattest fighting fans is how come a guy with telephone arms is able to achieve this much speed, strength, and coordination in his strikes.
As it happened, in 2015 a young N’Gannou was pitted against a ferocious beast Henrique. The fight was brutal to its core and ended abruptly with a picture-perfect uppercut to the jaw in the second round.
Francis N’Gannou’s Vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
The second-best KO of his entire career.
N’Gannou’s Vs. Rozenstruik was built to be a fight for the ages. Well, why wouldn’t it be? When you put a knockout specialist with an equally skilled artist, the result is expected to be thrilling, brutal, bloody, and amazing.
However, the exact opposite happened as Rozenstruik was knocked out within the first 20 seconds of the first round.
Francis N’Gannou’s Vs. Stipe Miocic 2
Yet besides all these amazing knockout displays, the best fight of the one-punch KO master was unquestionably the title fight against Miocic.
In a comeback fight to avenge a 2018 loss, Ngannou started the fight by clinically hitting Miocic on the canvas during the first round, however, Miocic returned blows with his signature finesse.
However, early in the second round, everything changed as a left hook again dropped Miocic on the floor for a glorious finish.
Bonus: Fury Vs. Francis Verdict
As amazing as Francis N’Gannou’s punching prowess is, he doesn’t stand a chance against a gypsy king. Fury is an all-round complete fighter who has the technique, footwork, defense, and mental strength to outbox the best in the business.
Nevertheless, it would undoubtedly be a memorable fight as when two counterpunchers collide, you can certainly expect something epic in the making.
