Fighter sets combat sports record with 2.9-second knockout. Watch video

Justin Watson made combat sports history by achieving the fastest knockout on record, defeating Cole Ferrell in just 2.9 seconds. The event took place at the Gas South Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The crowd inside the Gas South Arena erupted upon learning of the record-setting knockout.

Watson delivered a powerful right hand that sent Ferrell crashing face first to the canvas, marking a historic moment in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). As reported by MMA Fighting, after being knocked down by Watson's first punch, Ferrell attempted to react but was unable to, leading the referee to quickly wave off the action just 2.9 seconds into the fight.

The previous record held by Uly Diaz, who knocked out Donelei Benedetto in three seconds at BKFC 14 four years ago. According to FirstSportz, Watson's victory is now considered the fastest in combat sports history. "THIS WAS THE FASTEST KO IN COMBAT SPORTS HISTORY!" BKFC posted in social media, along with the replay of the fight.

"2.9 seconds, the fastest knockout in combat sports – unbelievable," BKFC president David Feldman wrote.

Conor McGregor, who frequently praises the performances of BKFC fighters, took to social media to celebrate Watson's victory. McGregor reposted the clash between Watson and Ferrell on his Instagram story, accompanied by the caption: "The world's fastest KO! WOW!"

THE FASTEST KNOCKOUT IN COMBAT SPORTS HISTORY #BKFC69 | Today | Live On DAZN pic.twitter.com/qDGScGqAo2

— DAZN Sport (@DAZN_Sport) December 7, 2024

Before the bout, Watson was considered a major underdog. According to Forbes, he entered the featherweight bout having not achieved any victories in his professional career before this match, while Ferrell had previously won 12 professional fights.

Ferrell briefly protested the stoppage, but it was clear he was in no shape to continue following the brutal strike.

One stunned viewer of the knockout wrote on X along with the famous "Friday" meme: "Damn," as reported by The Sun. Another remarked, "Me clocking out of work the first second possible."

BKFC is known for its bare-knuckle boxing matches, where fights start with both fighters just a few centimeters apart.

Prior to his exploits in BKFC, Watson had a brief but unsuccessful career in mixed martial arts. Forbes notes that he has an MMA record of 0-3 and was stopped in all of his MMA fights. In his previous two fights in BKFC, Watson had been on the losing end of first-round finishes.

Comparisons have been drawn to other quick knockouts in combat sports. Jorge Masvidal's five-second finish over Ben Askren at UFC 239 is one of the most remarkable finishes in combat sports history. Masvidal ran towards Askren and connected with a knee strike, causing Askren to fall unconscious. In boxing history, the fastest knockout occurred on March 18, 1997, when New Zealander Jimmy Thunder knocked down Crawford Grimsley just 1.7 seconds after the start of their fight, according to Forbes.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq