Daniel Cormier recently weighed in on the ongoing Ilia Topuria knockout debate, suggesting that Topuria’s stunning UFC lightweight title victory might not be the frontrunner for Knockout of the Year. Despite Topuria’s impressive finishes against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in 2024, culminating with a swift knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28, Cormier believes there is another knockout deserving more recognition.
Topuria’s first-round knockout of Oliveira, achieved with a devastating combination, quickly gained acclaim as a leading contender for 2025’s best knockout. However, Cormier points to an earlier finish at the same venue that may have been overshadowed.
Cormier Regards Mauricio Ruffy’s Dynamic Finish Above Topuria’s Latest Performance
On a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show with Chael Sonnen, Cormier shared his mid-year Knockout of the Year pick. While Sonnen favored Topuria’s knockout of Oliveira for its directness, Cormier chose what he described as a more athletic and unexpected maneuver.
Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira, Malcolm Wellmaker knocked out (Kris) Moutinho, and then Mauricio Ruffy hit that spinning heel kick on King Green,
Cormier explained, listing the frontrunners for the award.
He added that although Topuria’s knockout was significant given the stakes, in terms of pure shock and spectacle, Ruffy’s spinning heel kick stood out.
I think this one’s a no-brainer. I think Ilia Topuria’s knockout was the most valuable because of the stage and what it meant, but in terms of just a (gasps in shock) knockout, it was Mauricio Ruffy’s heel kick of King Green.
That was crazy…’cause you know how good Green is, you know how good his eyes are…he had no idea that that heel kick was coming,
Cormier said.
Ruffy hits him with it, boom, face first on the ground, over. That’s my Knockout of the Year to this point.
Ruffy’s UFC 313 Knockout Astonished Daniel Cormier and Fans Alike
Cormier’s enthusiasm for Ruffy’s knockout is consistent with the reaction he had when witnessing the fight live at T-Mobile Arena. The spinning heel kick that ended King Green’s night left Cormier visibly shocked, even during replays.
Wow! Oh, right on the temple,
Cormier remarked, watching the knockout again.
Oh my goodness!
Guys…my jaw is on the floor…that was always one of King Green’s biggest issues, keeping his hands down. You can’t do that with a guy like that (Ruffy) in front of you.
With both Topuria and Ruffy expected to fight again in the latter half of 2025, the question remains whether anyone will surpass their spectacular finishes. Their performances so far set a high bar for knockouts this year in the lightweight division and beyond, making the rest of the year highly anticipated for fans and analysts alike.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Ilia Topuria Turkish?
A. Ilia Topuria, born on January 21, 1997, is a professional mixed martial artist with Georgian and Spanish roots. He fights in the Lightweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and holds the title of UFC Lightweight Champion.