It Is All Over! Five Fastest Title Fight Finishes In UFC History

While fight fans are sometimes plagued by watching a long, drawn out, and boring fight, we have also seen the polar opposite: a fight that ends so quickly that it seems as if it was over before it had even started.

Whether it be a lightning quick submission lock that does the trick, or that one thundering shot that shuts off the lights, we have seen numerous fights end in the blink of the eye over the years.

This includes title fights as well, fights we may have expected to be longer or to be more competitive. While fans may sometimes feel cheated out of a fight if it ends so quickly, it’s also quite a special sight to see a contest end in mere seconds.

It turns out that we were treated to the fastest finish in a UFC title fight just last week at December 12’s UFC 194, leaving no better time to take a look at the five fastest finishes in UFC title fight history:

5. Frank Shamrock vs. Igor Zinoviev – UFC 16

Frank Shamrock is a pioneer and a legend of mixed martial arts (MMA) as well as a former UFC light heavyweight champion.

“The Legend” as he was rightfully known as was actually the promotion’s inaugural 205-pound champion, and he often made quick work of his opponents in rather brutal fashion.

This just so happened to be the case when Shamrock made the first defense of his title against Igor Zinoviev at UFC 16 on March 13, 1998.

Just 22-seconds into the bout, Shamrock landed a devastating slam that instantly knocked Zinoviev out cold. It was a brilliant finish for “The Legend”, and in the process, he etched his name into the record books for scoring one of the quickest finishes in a UFC title fight.

The scary part? He wasn’t done just yet…

4. Frank Shamrock vs. Kevin Jackson – UFC Japan/ Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis – UFC 175

Before defending his title, Shamrock had to earn the strap first and he once again did so in incredible fashion.

Taking on Kevin Jackson for the inaugural title at UFC Japan 1 on December 21, 1997, “The Legend” was able to sink in an arm bar that would ultimately end the fight at just 16-seconds of the very first-round.

It turns out that we actually have a tie at this spot, as a certain women’s mega star would score a 16-second finish of her own years later.

Now former bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey put her title on the line against Alexis Davis at UFC 175 on July 5, 2015. The former Olympian would come out quickly, landing a huge judo throw that was followed with a flurry of relentless right hands that would leave the referee no choice but to step in and end things.

Like Shamrock, however, Rousey wasn’t done just yet…

3. Andrei Arlovski vs. Paul Buentelo – UFC 55

At age 36, Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski has returned to the UFC, rattled off four-straight Octagon wins, and has put himself dangerously close to challenging for the title.

However, many fail to remember that Arlovski is actually a former heavyweight champion from what seems to be a completely different era.

He became the interim heavyweight boss at UFC 51 in February 2005, and then defended that strap at UFC 53 in June of that same year before being named the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Making the first defense of his undisputed belt, the “Pitbull” would meet Paul Buentelo at UFC 55 on October 7, 2005. Arlovski came out firing quick and was able to plant a picture perfect right hand on the chin of Buentelo just 15-seconds into the fight.

This finish would remain as the fastest in a UFC title fight for a decade up until earlier this year…

2. Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano – UFC 184

Despite the fact that she brutally and shockingly lost her title last month, Ronda Rousey was simply dominant during her title run, and she made her mark by dispatching contender after contender in as little time as possible.

After taking out Davis in 16-seconds, Rousey one upped herself at UFC 184 on February 28, 2015.

Her title was on the line against undefeated top contender “Alpha” Cat Zingano.

Zingano came rushing out of the gate, attempting a flying knee of some sorts at the onset of the fight. Rousey took full advantage of Zingano’s misstep, landing yet another effortless judo throw before locking in her signature arm bar to finish off the contest in just 14-seconds.

It was a spectacular finish and an insanely fast one that has only been beaten out by one…

1. Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 194

UFC 194 went down last weekend (December 12, 2014) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main event featured a massively hyped and long awaited featherweight grudge match between now former champion Jose Aldo and Irish superstar Conor McGregor.

Many felt as if the “Notorious” one had the skillset that could potentially give the previously dominant champion in Aldo some issues, but no one had anticipated what was coming.

After months and months of buildup and promotion, the fight ended in the blink of an eye.

The two men met in the center of the Octagon, with Aldo quickly unloading a right hand. McGregor evaded the shot, while landing his devastating left hand in the process, sending “Scarface” plummeting to the canvas just 13-seconds after the bell had rung.

McGregor had completed his triumphant rise to the top, and in the process secured the fastest finish in a UFC title fight to date.