Welcome to MMAmania’s 2026 Mid-Year Awards!
Can you imagine 2026 is already half finished?
With six months of jaw-dropping motion behind us, it’s time to have fun the fighters, fights, and moments which have lit up the MMA world. From gorgeous upsets and bone-crunching knockouts to rising stars and masterful submissions, 2026 has delivered some good highlights.
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Let’s dive into the greatest knockout of the year to date. (Note: For knockouts and submissions, I’m all about type over substance.)
Knockout of the year: Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber
UFC Seattle – March 28, 2026
Technically, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion Alexa Grasso might have landed on each the “Submission of the Year” and “Knockout of the Year” lists for the very same end.
That is how nasty it was.
The end came about in the co-main occasion of UFC Seattle, the place Grasso cracked Maycee Barber with a grimy left cross that dropped Barber and spun her round, primarily knocking her out on influence.
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Then Grasso jumped on Barber’s again and locked up a rear-naked choke on an already unconscious opponent.
Brutal.
It was violent, distinctive and immediately memorable. More importantly, it was the form of end that combat followers will nonetheless be speaking about years from now.
Not only one of the greatest finishes of 2026.
One of the wildest finishes in UFC historical past.
Here are a number of honorable mentions:
Medic vs. Neal
Uros Medic sparked Geoff Neal in simply 69 seconds in the co-main occasion of UFC Houston.
Costa vs. Ige
Melquizael Costa grew to become the first particular person to cease Dan Ige with a spinning again kick, adopted by punches.
Ulberg vs. Prochazka
Carlos Ulberg grew to become the UFC Light Heavyweight champion by knocking out Jiri Prochazka … on one leg.
Jackson vs. Creighton
Former Bellator Welterweight champion Jason Jackson ignited MVP MMA 1 by starching Jeff Creighton in simply 22 seconds.
Are any of these knockouts the greatest of the year? Let us know under!
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of occasions click on here.