UFC 267 is set to take place on October 30^th, 2021, and anticipation is already building for it. When you see the two main events listed, it is easy to see why. Blachowicz vs Teixeira will see both fighters bringing top-level grappling skills to the cage and looks to be a very heated battle. Both fighters are also on winning streaks and will be eager to end the evening as the Light Heavyweight champion.

The co-main event, which all MMA fans are looking forward to, is Petr Yan vs Cory Sandhagen for the interim bantamweight title. This was originally scheduled to be a bout between Yan and champion Aljamain Sterling – a rematch from UFC 259 in March 2021 in which Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee. Sterling had to pull out of the much anticipated rematch due to a lingering injury; however the replacement bout is almost as good, if not better than the original.

It is not all about these two main events though. There are plenty of top fights on the undercard to enjoy. For a lot of the sports followers who like to place bets, these can be better fights to target as they can offer great value odds. It can be worth working out who the favorites are on these undercard bouts, so you can bet from a more informed position. A good tip for determining the best wagers to make at events such as UFC 267, is looking online for the top MMA betting picks. There are some great MMA sports betting sites available that bring together analysis, stats and betting picks all in one handy place.

Introduction

The surest way to win an MMA fight is to knock the opponent out cold. Not only does it put an immediate stop to the fight, but it also puts on a good show for the crowd that’s watching. Across the history of the UFC, there have been many knockout artists that have put on a show in the cage, and many of them tie for KO wins.

So, let’s take a look at all of them. Note that we’re looking at the most knockouts in all bouts, not just title bouts. If you’re interested in big-league MMA fighting and how the fighters are besting one another, you may be interested in placing bets on the outcomes of fights. If that’s you, you’ll want to check out UFC fight night prelims.

12 KO Wins

The most knockout wins accrued by an individual fighter is 12. Only two fighters in the entire history of the UFC have knocked a whole dozen of their opponents out. Those fighters are Vitor Belfort and Derrick Lewis.

Vitor Belfort

To those who know his fighting prowess, it’s no surprise that Vitor Belfort is at the top of this list. He’s known for his explosive punching, especially when he gets the opponent down, where he hammers punches down hard and fast onto them until the referee calls an end to things. That’s how most of his KOs were decided, though some were also head kicks. Needless to say, opponents who face Belfort are in trouble if they find themselves on the mat.

Derrick Lewis

The other fighter who has knocked out 12 people is Derrick Lewis. While Vitor’s career is winding down, Lewis is nearly a whole decade younger and may be able to rack up another knockout or two in the future. He’s currently #3 in the official UFC heavyweight rankings and is known for his “swangin’ and bangin’,” a term he uses to describe aggressive stand-up fighting. Grapplers have often had trouble getting him down and, in trying, they’ve ended up on the wrong side of his fists.

Women Featherweight (145)
[#5] Norma Dumont (6-1-0, +121) vs. [*] Aspen Ladd (9-1-0, -144)

Last 3 Fights: Norma Dumont (2-1-0)
2021-05-22: W vs. [#8FW] Felicia Spencer (8-3-0) via SD (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
2020-11-28: W vs. [#54BW] Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-5-0) via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
2020-02-29: L vs. [#6FW] Megan Anderson (11-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 3:31 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Aspen Ladd (2-1-0)
2019-12-07: W vs. [#11BW] Yana Kunitskaya (14-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:33 of round 3
2019-07-13: L vs. [#3BW] Germaine de Randamie (10-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:16 of round 1
2019-05-18: W vs. [#15FLY] Sijara Eubanks (7-6-0) via UD (29-27, 30-26, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Norma Dumont 147, Aspen Ladd 679
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#35] Andrei Arlovski (31-20-0, -119) vs. [#72] Carlos Felipe (11-1-0, -104)
Andrei Arlovski is the All-Time #20 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Andrei Arlovski (2-1-0)
2021-04-17: W vs. [#81HW+] Chase Sherman (15-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2021-02-20: L vs. [#18HW+] Tom Aspinall (11-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:09 of round 2
2020-11-07: W vs. [#31HW+] Tanner Boser (20-8-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Carlos Felipe (3-0-0)
2021-06-12: W vs. [#73HW+] Jake Collier (12-6-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2021-01-16: W vs. [#156HW+] Justin Tafa (4-3-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2020-10-03: W vs. [#187HW+] Yorgan De Castro (6-3-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Andrei Arlovski 182, Carlos Felipe 126
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#70] Jim Miller (32-16-0, -199) vs. [#199] Erick Gonzalez (14-5-0, +164)
Jim Miller is the All-Time #41 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Jim Miller (1-2-0)
2021-04-10: L vs. [#67LW] Joe Solecki (11-3-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
2020-08-15: L vs. [#35LW] Vinc Pichel (14-2-0) via UD (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
2020-06-20: W vs. [#133LW] Roosevelt Roberts (10-4-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 2:25 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Erick Gonzalez (2-1-0)
2021-08-07: W vs. [#661LW] Samuel Alvarez (5-4-0) via UD ()
2021-03-19: W vs. [#897LW] Oziel Rodriguez Lopez (4-6-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 0:37 of round 3
2019-12-20: L vs. [*] Humberto Bandenay (18-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jim Miller 189, Erick Gonzalez 70
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Ten years ago, in September 2011, Conor McGregor won his fifth fight in a row and his fifth fight of the year. His record attracted the attention of MMA experts and within a year he had won the Featherweight and Lightweight Cage Warrior Championships and was on his way to the UFC.

His talents were obvious to those in the know, and once he was spotted, his ascent was rapid and meteoric.

At any given time, there could be dozens of young fighters out there with equal talents, and in this short guide, we’ll highlight the best of them. Knowing which fighters to look out for could help sports bettors and odds-seekers using sites like thelines.com. It’ll also give you bragging rights when you predict an unknown fighter’s future and watch them climb the rankings.

Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell is an undefeated pro who turns 27 in October 2021. The Arkansas native is not exactly an unknown as he’s ranked 11^th in the UFC Featherweight division, but he’s a fighter that many fans are unaware of.

Mitchell’s record is 14-0 and he last fought in October 2020, when he defeated Andre Fili by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Hall vs Silva. Mitchell is eyeing Dan Ige for his next fight and the two seem destined to fight.

Ige (15-4) is currently ranked 9^th in the Lightweight division and a victory will give Mitchell the attention he deserves.

Featherweight Championship (145)
[#1/#4DD/#2P4P] Alexander Volkanovski (22-1-0, -176) vs. [#4] Brian Ortega (15-1-0, +146)
Alexander Volkanovski is the All-Time #4 ranked Featherweight and #43 ranked Absolute fighter.
Brian Ortega is the All-Time #13 ranked Featherweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Alexander Volkanovski (3-0-0)
2020-07-11: W vs. [#2FW/#6DD] Max Holloway (22-6-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
2019-12-14: W vs. [#2FW/#6DD] Max Holloway (22-6-0) via UD (50-45, 48-47, 48-47)
2019-05-11: W vs. [#5BW] Jose Aldo (30-7-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Brian Ortega (2-1-0)
2020-10-17: W vs. [#6FW] Chan Sung Jung (17-6-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2018-12-08: L vs. [#2FW/#6DD] Max Holloway (22-6-0) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 5:00 of round 4
2018-03-03: W vs. [#7BW] Frankie Edgar (24-9-1) via KO (Punches) in 4:44 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alexander Volkanovski 441, Brian Ortega 343
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Alexander Volkanovski leads 2-0
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Women Flyweight Championship (125)
[#1/#3DD/#2P4P] Valentina Shevchenko (21-3-0, -1572) vs. [#6] Lauren Murphy (15-4-0, +831)
Valentina Shevchenko is the All-Time #4 ranked Women’s fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Valentina Shevchenko (3-0-0)
2021-04-24: W vs. [#2FLY/#10DD/#9P4P] Jessica Andrade (21-9-0) via TKO (Elbows) in 3:19 of round 2
2020-11-21: W vs. [#4FLY] Jennifer Maia (19-7-1) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2020-02-08: W vs. [#3FLY/#10P4P] Katlyn Chookagian (16-4-0) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 1:03 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Lauren Murphy (3-0-0)
2021-06-12: W vs. [#10FLY] Joanne Calderwood (15-6-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2020-10-24: W vs. [#65FLY] Liliya Shakirova (8-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:31 of round 2
2020-06-20: W vs. [#21FLY] Roxanne Modafferi (25-18-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Valentina Shevchenko 154, Lauren Murphy 105
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Valentina Shevchenko leads 2-0
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Middleweight (185)
[#52WW] Robbie Lawler (28-15-0, -146) vs. [*] Nick Diaz (26-9-0, +121)
Robbie Lawler is the All-Time #28 ranked Middleweight and #29 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Robbie Lawler (0-3-0)
2020-08-29: L vs. [#9WW] Neil Magny (25-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2019-08-03: L vs. [#2WW] Colby Covington (16-2-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-44)
2019-03-02: L vs. [*] Ben Askren (19-2-0) via Technical Submission (Bulldog Choke) in 3:20 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Nick Diaz (0-2-0, 1 NC)
2015-01-31: NC vs. [#45MW] Anderson Silva (34-11-0)
2013-03-16: L vs. [*] Georges St. Pierre (26-2-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2012-02-04: L vs. [*] Carlos Condit (32-14-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Robbie Lawler 392, Nick Diaz 2429
Previous Match-up Record: Nick Diaz leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Robbie Lawler leads 3-2
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2021 has been a busy year for the UFC.  Year-to-date, the organization held eight numbered Pay-Per-View (PPV) events, with 12 title bouts. Of those, the reigning champions defended their titles six times, the belts changed hand four times, and a vacant or interim belt was crowned on two occasions. This is not to mention the almost weekly Fight Night events, totaling 28 shows for the year and bringing the all-time count to 575 (!) with last weekend’s UFC on ESPN 30.

Here’s a look at the five most interesting fights scheduled in the UFC for the remainder of the year. These fights are sure to be exciting, possibly even more so you partake in online betting on some of your favorite fighters. Three of these five are title bouts, three are rematches, one is a top contender bout and one fun nostalgic matchup to boot.

[#1 WW] Kamaru Usman vs [#2 WW] Colby Covington

This is the currently scheduled UFC matchup I am personally looking forward to the most. Kamaru Usman will be looking to defend his UFC (and lineal) Welterweight title for the fifth time, which will tie for second place with Matt Hughes for most title defenses in the division. Usman and Colby Covington previously met in the Octagon in 2019, with Usman stopping Covington with strikes in the fifth round in what was an absolute barn-burner of a fight.  Usman seems to have only improved since then, defeating Gilbert Burns as well as taking two wins over Jorge Masvidal. His most recent win over Masvidal was a thunderous knock out that shocked many fans. Covington in the meanwhile only fought once, dominating and stopping former champion Tyron Woodley. It remains to be seen how much has Colby improved his overall game and how he will deal with Usman’s ever evolving striking this time around. We will find out in November, close to two years since their first matchup.

Photo by Bruno Bueno from Pexels

Mixed Martial Arts has quickly grown from something quite niche, into a mainstream sport which is taken extremely seriously. It’s estimated that anywhere between 5 and 6 million people watch top UFC fights, for instance. But what exactly is the appeal to its fans? Let’s take a look at the main reasons why people are drawn to the world of MMA.

Anyone Can Do It

Mixed Martial Arts is something that literally anyone can do. With hard work and practice, results are attainable. It’s not that likely that you will become a successful tennis star or golf professional. In fact, without the expensive coaching and equipment, it’s very hard to enjoy any success in many sports.

But MMA is the polar opposite of sports like tennis or golf. You don’t really need much equipment to get going. It doesn’t matter if you’re tall or short, male or female, old or young. Literally anyone can get involved, and this feeling that it is a realistic hobby is definitely one of MMA’s biggest draws.

But it also appeals to something more primal. Humans are naturally competitive. Our ancestors fought over resources such as land and food. In more modern, civilised society, we’ve shifted to fighting for bragging rights, but that animal instinct remains. And MMA is a fantastic way to harness it and channel it in a positive way.

Middleweight (185)
[#3/#8P4P] Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2, 185.0lb, -350) vs. [#22] John Salter (18-4-0, 185.0lb, +268)
Gegard Mousasi is the All-Time #4 ranked Middleweight and #46 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Gegard Mousasi (2-1-0)
2020-10-29: W vs. [#12WW] Douglas Lima (32-9-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
2019-09-28: W vs. [#11LHW] Lyoto Machida (26-11-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
2019-06-22: L vs. [*] Rafael Lovato Jr. (10-0-0) via MD (48-47, 47-47, 48-47)

Last 3 Fights: John Salter (3-0-0)
2020-08-21: W vs. [#73MW] Andrew Kapel (16-7-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:11 of round 3
2019-11-08: W vs. [#51MW] Costello Van Steenis (13-2-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-11-30: W vs. [#80MW] Chidi Njokuani (19-7-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:32 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gegard Mousasi 288, John Salter 357
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (171)
[#66] Andrey Koreshkov (23-4-0, 170.8lb, -410) vs. [#72] Sabah Homasi (15-9-0, 171.0lb, +308)

Last 3 Fights: Andrey Koreshkov (2-1-0)
2021-02-23: W vs. [#156MW] Adriano Rodrigues de Oliv (18-6-1) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:38 of round 1
2019-10-04: L vs. [#20MW] Lorenz Larkin (23-7-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2019-03-29: W vs. [*] Mike Jasper (13-6-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Sabah Homasi (2-1-0)
2021-04-16: L vs. [#40WW] Paul Daley (42-18-2) via TKO (Punches) in 1:44 of round 2
2020-10-29: W vs. [#188WW] Bobby Voelker (33-14-0) via KO (Knee) in 0:20 of round 2
2020-08-07: W vs. [#73WW] Curtis Millender (18-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Andrey Koreshkov 171, Sabah Homasi 119
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Bantamweight (136)
[#32] Raufeon Stots (16-1-0, 136.0lb, +393) vs. [#59] Magomed Magomedov (18-1-0, 133.8lb, -548)

Last 3 Fights: Raufeon Stots (3-0-0)
2021-05-07: W vs. [#61BW] Josh Hill (20-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2020-11-19: W vs. [#84BW] Keith Lee (7-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2020-07-24: W vs. [#546BW] Cass Bell (5-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:24 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Magomed Magomedov (3-0-0)
2021-04-02: W vs. [#391BW] C.J. Hamilton (15-9-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:22 of round 2
2020-12-10: W vs. [#109BW] Matheus Mattos (13-2-1) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
2018-11-10: W vs. [#152BW] Walter Pereira Jr. (16-6-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:41 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Raufeon Stots 98, Magomed Magomedov 133
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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When it comes to MMA pioneers, Mark ‘The Hammer’ Coleman is a name that may not be readily recognizable by younger fans.  Nonetheless, his impact on the sport is undeniable. The winner of UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments, and the first UFC Heavyweight champion, Coleman is also known as ‘The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound’ – a nickname which gives credit to his propensity of taking down his opponents and beating them up on the ground, a technique that you can see exhibited in virtually every MMA event today.

As an accomplished collegiate and amateur wrestler, Mark Coleman was also very influential in showing that wrestling is an excellent base for MMA, a statement which holds true to this day.  Coleman’s wrestling accomplishments include multiple NCCA and Pan-American championships, and placing seventh in the 1992 Summer Olympics. “I choked” – is how Mark Coleman describes his Olympic experience to Betway. Of course Coleman had inspirations of bringing home a gold medal, and he also tried out for the 1996 Olympics – but was defeated by Kurt Angle and did not qualify for Team USA.