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3 knockout threats fighting at UFC Atlanta this weekend

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 10:34 AM ET

Following a UFC 316 card that featured three KO/TKO finishes out of 13 fights, there’s a few fighters competing at this weekend’s UFC Atlanta that are capable of bringing fans to their feet with a big knockout.

The main card of UFC 316 last weekend saw Kevin Holland, Kayla Harrison, and Merab Dvalishvili all earn “Performance of the Night” bonuses for their submission victories, while the only fighter on the prelims to earn an extra $50K was the debuting Joo Sang Yoo for his jaw-dropping knockout against Jeka Saragih.

Joshua Van and Azamat Murzakanov also got things done with strikes but failed to earn bonuses, and with another 13 fights scheduled for UFC Atlanta this weekend let’s take a look at three fighters that could potentially shut their opponent’s lights out.

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Edmen Shahbazyan

Still just 27 years old, Edmen Shahbazyan famously joined the UFC as an undefeated talent off of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018 and improved to 11-0 before a three-fight skid against top middleweight competition derailed his momentum.

“The Golden Boy” has alternated wins and losses over his last five fights but stopped Dylan Budka in less than two minutes to return to the win column in February, and this weekend he’ll try to halt Andre Petroski’s three-fight win streak and earn back-to-back wins in the process.

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Shahbazyan’s last four victories have all come via KO or TKO, and of his 14 pro wins an incredible 12 of those have come by way of strikes.

Malcolm Wellmaker

Set to welcome Kris Moutinho back to the UFC on Saturday night, Malcolm Wellmaker has already made a strong impression on UFC fans with his first two appearances in the Octagon.

The undefeated bantamweight brought a 7-0 record into his Dana White’s Contender Series matchup with Adam Bramhald last August, and halfway through round one Wellmaker secured a UFC contract when he floored Bramhald with a brutal right hook.

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The 31-year-old showcased the power in his right hand once again in April when he earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his debut knockout against Cameron Saaiman, and a matchup with an all-action fighter in Moutinho could present the chance for Wellmaker to continue his knockout streak in Atlanta.

Mansur Abdul-Malik

Along with Wellmaker, Mansur Abdul-Malik is one of three undefeated fighters that will be in action this Saturday at UFC Atlanta.

The 27-year-old also earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last summer when he finished Wes Schultz with ground and pound in the second round, and a few months later the MMA Masters product made short work of Duško Todorović to claim a “Performance of the Night” bonus in his promotional debut.

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Abdul-Malik stopped Nick Klein with strikes in his sophomore UFC outing earlier this year, and both his undefeated record and 100% finishing rate will be on the line when he steps into the Octagon with Cody Brundage this weekend.