Sergey Pavlovich joins list of UFC first-round knockout leaders

Sergey Pavlovich has cemented his place among the most devastating finishers in UFC history, joining a select group of fighters credited with seven first-round knockouts inside the promotion.

Pavlovich sits fourth on the all-time UFC list for first-round knockouts. Vitor Belfort leads that chart with 11, Anthony Johnson sits second with nine, and Michal Oleksiejczuk holds third with eight. Pavlovich shares the fourth spot with Francis Ngannou, Andrei Arlovski, Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva, and Derrick Lewis — all tied at seven.

Belfort, now 49, built his legendary status over a career that produced a 26-14-0 record across multiple weight classes. The Brazilian southpaw, who stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach, was one of the sport's earliest and most feared knockout artists, and his 11 first-round finishes remain a benchmark no active fighter has matched.

Oleksiejczuk, the 31-year-old Polish southpaw known as "Hussar," has quietly climbed into third place with eight first-round knockouts. Carrying a 22-10-0 record and operating out of Akademia Sportow Walki Wilanow, he lands an impressive 5.85 significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy — numbers that reflect how relentlessly he pursues early finishes.

Cain Velasquez, a former heavyweight champion who finished with a 14-3-0 record, also shares the seven-knockout tier. The American Kickboxing Academy product combined elite wrestling — 5.13 takedowns per 15 minutes — with heavy hands, making him one of the most complete fighters on the list.

Why it matters

• Pavlovich's placement among all-time first-round knockout leaders underscores his elite finishing ability in the heavyweight division
• The list spans multiple generations and weight classes, highlighting how rare sustained early-round power truly is
• Oleksiejczuk's presence at third, ahead of several heavyweight legends, reflects the growing finishing threat from light heavyweight contenders