ONE Championship’s Top 5 Knockouts Of 2025
Throughout 2025, ONE Championship delivered an unforgettable year of striking excellence that left fans around the world in absolute awe.
From the opening bell in January to the final event in December, the world’s largest martial arts organization showcased the most explosive knockout artists across mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and kickboxing.
Fighters stepped into the Circle and into the ring at Lumpinee Stadium with bad intentions, unleashing devastating techniques that produced highlight-reel finishes destined to be replayed for years to come. Whether it was a perfectly timed head kick, a thunderous left hook, or an acrobatic spinning strike, 2025 gave us moments that everyone will remember.
From a long-awaited super-fight ending in shocking fashion to a debut performance that announced a new contender’s arrival, these five knockouts stood above the rest as the most memorable of the year.
#1 Roberto Soldic Face-Plants Dagi Arslanaliev
The global fan base had eagerly anticipated Croatian powerhouse Roberto “Robocop” Soldic‘s return to the Circle, and the 30-year-old superstar delivered a moment that will live forever in ONE history. Stepping into a welterweight MMA clash against Turkish knockout artist Dagi Arslanaliev at ONE 171: Qatar in February, Soldic wasted absolutely no time making his statement.
Just 1:55 into the opening round, “Robocop” uncorked a devastating left hook that caught Arslanaliev flush and sent him face-first to the canvas in brutal fashion. The shocking finish not only secured Soldic’s first promotional victory, but also showcased the extraordinary power that made him one of Europe’s most feared fighters.
The performance earned Soldic a US$50,000 bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong and marked his 19th career finish overall. It was a coming-out party that announced Soldic as a legitimate threat in ONE’s stacked welterweight division.
#2 Gingsanglek Delivers Spinning Backfist For The Ages
After weathering some storms at ONE Friday Fights, 24-year-old Thai sensation Gingsanglek Wor Kumchamnarn entered 2025 hungry to prove he belonged among the elite. His chance came against dangerous Russian striker Alexey Balyko in a flyweight Muay Thai matchup at ONE Friday Fights 115 in July.
What followed was one of the most spectacular finishes in ONE Friday Fights history.
Within seconds of the opening bell, Gingsanglek connected with a head kick that sent Balyko crashing to the canvas. The Russian warrior beat the count and returned to his feet, but he was walking into a nightmare.
Gingsanglek launched another high kick that Balyko managed to evade, but the Thai star was already spinning, and an insane spinning backfist caught the Russian flush, turning his lights off instantly.
The referee waved off the contest at just 53 seconds, and Gingsanglek had secured one of the most jaw-dropping knockouts in the weekly series’ history. The finish showcased both technical brilliance and devastating power in equal measure.
#3 Rodtang Silences Tokyo Crowd With 80-Second Destruction Of Takeru
When Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon and Takeru “Natural Born Crusher” Segawa finally squared off in the main event of ONE 172: Takeru vs. Rodtang in March at Tokyo’s Saitama Super Arena, it was one of the most highly anticipated matchups in recent memory.
Originally scheduled for 2024 before Rodtang’s injury forced the bout’s postponement, the five-round flyweight kickboxing super-fight had fans around the world on the edge of their seats.
It took the former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion just 80 seconds to silence the Japanese crowd in stunning fashion. After some initial exchanges, the 28-year-old Thai megastar unleashed a thudding left hook that caught Takeru perfectly. The Japanese superstar crumbled to the canvas, unable to beat the referee’s count as the fight was waved off at 1:20 of the opening round.
The shocking finish left the combat sports world stunned. Few could have predicted such a dominant performance in a bout many expected to be a grueling war. Fans immediately began clamoring for a rematch, which could materialize in 2026.
#4 Nabil Anane Stuns Nico Carrillo With First-Round Masterclass
After overcoming his promotional debut loss to Superlek, Nabil Anane had been on an absolute tear, rattling off five consecutive victories that earned him a shot at the ONE Interim Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title. Standing across from him at ONE 170 in January was Scottish knockout machine Nico “King of the North” Carrillo, who had been scheduled to face then-champion “The Kicking Machine” Superlek before an injury forced a change in plans.
What transpired was a masterclass in precision striking from the six-foot-four Thai-Algerian sensation. Anane systematically broke down the man who had looked unbeatable across his previous 15 fights, securing three knockdowns with two devastating right hands and a perfectly placed high kick. The final sequence came at 2:35 of the first round, crowning Anane as the interim champion.
Months later, Anane was promoted to undisputed ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion. But it was this performance against Carrillo that announced him as a true force in the division.
#5 Abolfazl Alipourandi Demolishes Liam Nolan In 59 Seconds
Not many fighters can say their promotional debut produced one of the year’s most memorable knockouts, but Iranian striker Abolfazl “White Wolf” Alipourandi did exactly that. Taking a short-notice lightweight Muay Thai clash against British veteran “Lethal” Liam Nolan, the 29-year-old Iranian had everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Alipourandi came out firing from the opening bell, matching the experienced Nolan strike for strike and showing zero signs of promotional jitters. As the action intensified, “White Wolf” backed Nolan toward the ropes and unleashed a powerful head kick that caught him clean, sending the British striker crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately waved off the contest at just 59 seconds.
With one spectacular finish, Alipourandi announced his arrival in ONE in emphatic fashion and proved he’s here for the long haul. It was the kind of debut that turns heads and puts the entire division on notice.
