6. Randy Couture: 7 T(KO)s In 26 UFC Fights
Hall of Famer Couture fought a precession of stars at both light heavyweight and heavyweight during his UFC career. But for all of his many triumphs, knockouts account for seven of his 11 career losses.
Couture’s first UFC loss by strikes was controversial. Josh Barnett TKO’d him with punches in their heavyweight title fight at UFC 36 in 2002, only to be stripped of the belt for using steroids. Couture was immediately granted an interim title shot against Ricco Rodriguez. That also didn’t go his way as a fifth-round elbow broke his orbital bone, resulting in a verbal submission (recorded as a TKO here).
‘The Natural’ suffered an even more grizzly eye injury in 2004 against Vitor Belfort. After just 46 seconds, a grazing punch sliced his left eyelid and left him with a corneal abrasion that would result in a TKO stoppage and immediate eye surgery. Couture has claimed that his only serious concussion was handed to him by old rival Chuck Liddell, who knocked him out midway through the first round of their title fight at UFC 52 in 2006.
Two fights later, Liddell would again KO him in their trilogy encounter. But Couture won the heavyweight title again afterward, only to be TKO’d by Brock Lesnar in 2008. Despite being well into his mid-40s by this stage, Couture continued competing until 2011. A front kick to the face from Lyoto Machida rendered the 48-year-old unconscious.
