Fastest UFC Knockouts: Every Record Finish in History

Quick answer

Jorge Masvidal owns the fastest knockout in UFC history after stopping Ben Askren in 0:05 at UFC 239 on July 6, 2019. Duane Ludwig ranks second at 0:06. As of October 21, 2026, AgentMMA found 14 UFC knockouts inside the first 10 seconds. The ranking comes from 1,601 first-round knockouts with a recorded finish time.

Data snapshot: AgentMMA analysis of 1,601 first-round UFC knockouts with a recorded time, covering 1994-03-11 to 2026-10-17 (computed 2026-10-21).

Fastest UFC knockouts: the full ranking

The gap from first to sixth is only two seconds, and tied times stay in date order with the earlier bout first. This is a speed table, not a claim that one knockout was cleaner or more important than another.

The list cuts across eras and weight classes, so Don Frye's open-weight finish sits beside modern bouts with unified divisions and detailed statistics.

What do these finish times actually show?

Fourteen bouts ended at 0:10 or sooner, with only five seconds separating Masvidal's record from Mark Weir at the end of that group. That is less time than most fighters need to establish range, and clusters matter too.

Four bouts share 0:07, while five share 0:08; the dates break those ties, not a judgment about the technique. Anthony Johnson is the only fighter with two entries in this top 25, at the same 0:13 time in two divisions.

The table ranks individual bouts, not careers, and doesn't measure repeatable knockout power, opponent quality or control before the finish. It also doesn't include submissions or knockouts after round one. Use it to answer a narrow record question: which UFC knockout wins ended fastest from the opening bell?

How should you use this ranking?

Start with the question the data can answer: it compares official elapsed times for one result type. It can't tell you which finish looked more sudden on video. Two bouts shown at 0:08 may still differ by fractions of a second because official results are published to the second.

Video can help you study the opening exchange, but it shouldn't replace the common clock used across the dataset. Otherwise, every disputed broadcast frame becomes a new ranking rule, while a maintained record needs one consistent measure.

Don't treat a single fast knockout as a forecast because an early finish can follow a planned attack, a defensive error or a chaotic collision. This table records the outcome, not its repeatability. Open the linked fighter profile when you need career context, and use the linked event page for the full card.

Keep nearby record questions separate: the most career knockouts, fastest title-fight knockout and fastest submission are different lists. This page stays with first-round UFC knockout wins.

How this list is counted

AgentMMA searched every UFC result stored in its bout database, producing a final population of 1,601 bouts. A bout qualified if the winner scored a knockout in round one and the result included an official time.

The order uses elapsed time in the round. A 0:07 finish ranks ahead of 0:08, regardless of event size or title stakes. When two finishes share a time, the earlier fight comes first. There is no minimum number of UFC appearances for the winner.

“Knockout” here follows the knockout result family in the stored UFC Stats-derived data, covering the stoppages used for this record list. If you want the rules distinction, read UFC KO vs TKO: the difference under the rules.

Only UFC bouts count, so a fighter's faster finish in another promotion can't move this ranking. Those fights still belong in a full professional record when that record is shown elsewhere.

The clock is the official result, not the instant a punch or knee first lands, because a referee still has to stop the fight. Broadcast clocks, replay timestamps and fan videos can differ by a second, which explains some competing lists.

There is one clear scope difference: the UFC's public Record Book says its current leaderboard reflects UFC 28 onward. AgentMMA covers stored UFC results back to March 11, 1994, so UFC 8 entries such as Don Frye and Gary Goodridge remain here.

Notable names on the list

Jorge Masvidal: 0:05

Masvidal's flying knee against Ben Askren ended the contest before a normal opening exchange could form. It remains first in both AgentMMA's study and the UFC's public leaderboard. The UFC now lists Masvidal as retired, but that status doesn't affect a completed-bout record.

Duane Ludwig: 0:06

Ludwig stopped Jonathan Goulet one second slower than Masvidal's mark, and his 2006 finish had been the benchmark before UFC 239. The current UFC Record Book displays 0:06, matching the time used in this table. Some commission records still show 0:11 from the original timekeeper, while UFC later recognized 0:06; AgentMMA follows the current UFC display.

The four-way tie at 0:07

Todd Duffee, Chan Sung Jung, Ryan Jimmo and Terrance McKinney share 0:07, with their dates deciding the displayed order. Jung retired after his 2023 fight with Max Holloway, while the UFC still lists McKinney as active.

Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev: 0:08

Yakhyaev is the newest fighter in the top 14 after stopping Julius Walker in eight seconds on June 27, 2026. The UFC lists him as active, making his entry a current result rather than an archive-only name.

Conor McGregor: 0:13

McGregor's left hand against Jose Aldo ended a featherweight title fight in 13 seconds, slower than 22 entries above it. It remains the fastest knockout in a UFC title fight. McGregor returned in July 2026, then announced surgery after a knee injury.

Related AgentMMA pages

• UFC KO vs TKO: the difference under the rules
• Jorge Masvidal fighter profile
• Duane Ludwig fighter profile
• Terrance McKinney fighter profile

How solid is this data?

The broad sample contains 1,601 first-round UFC knockouts with recorded times from March 11, 1994 through October 17, 2026. AgentMMA computed the list on October 21, 2026 from UFC Stats-derived results and round data stored in its own database.

The study excludes later-round knockouts, results without a recorded time and every non-UFC promotion. An overturned result counts as a no-contest, not a knockout win.

Official finish times are the right comparison point, but they aren't frame-by-frame measurements. The arena clock, broadcast graphic and later replay can disagree by a second, so the result in the database controls the order.

AgentMMA reruns this maintained record page when a new UFC result changes the list or a stored result changes.

FAQ

What is the fastest knockout in UFC history?

Jorge Masvidal's 0:05 knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 on July 6, 2019 is the fastest.

What is the second-fastest KO in UFC history?

Duane Ludwig ranks second at 0:06 against Jonathan Goulet at UFC Fight Night 3 on January 16, 2006.

How many UFC knockouts happened in 10 seconds or less?

AgentMMA found 14 first-round UFC knockouts at 0:10 or faster using official finish times through October 17, 2026.

Is Conor McGregor's knockout of Jose Aldo the fastest UFC KO?

No. McGregor stopped Aldo in 0:13, the fastest UFC title-fight knockout, while Masvidal's 0:05 finish holds the absolute record.

Why do fastest-UFC-knockout lists differ?

They may use different dates, omit early UFC events or read a replay clock; AgentMMA uses stored official times from 1994 onward.