A Deep Dive Into Topps UFC Knockout
Debut Year: 2010 
Licensors: UFC 
Value Level: Accessible Being a UFC fan is different. Of course, as sports fans, we can all find commonalities and enjoy making small talk with the pro football head during the season or trading stats with a like-minded baseball fan as the October playoffs roll around. But when you connect with an MMA fan, a true blue follower of the ultimate combat sport who knows the Octagon inside and out – it’s a special occasion. Eyes get wide, broad gestures are made, and there’s no shortage of shadowboxing, no matter the time and place. And as a fan, there is nothing in the world like following a fighter on the come-up and watching them land the perfect strike to knock out their opponent and have gold wrapped around their waist.
A knockout is like a home run, but the opposing at-bats are trying to knock the other player’s head off simultaneously… or take them down, or leg kick them, or neutralize their offense completely by pinning their backs against the batter’s box. These analogies are a stretch and can only go so far, but let it be clear that the knockout, the spectacular KO that takes a lifetime of training and a microsecond to execute, is the pinnacle of the sport, and that’s why Topps UFC Knockout cards are so special.
To explain this further, especially with Topps UFC Knockout’s 2024 release finally here, we spoke to Norman Crow, Assistant Product Manager of Fanatics Collectibles, to take a deep dive into the History of the Topps UFC Knockout brand.
Why Does Topps UFC Knockout Matter?
Topps Knockout first arrived on the scene in 2010, and it’s the definitive Topps MMA brand. So how did Topps approach this set to differentiate it from the other iconic brands, such as Chrome, across all sports? “We used the previous iterations of the brand and blended them to evolve into the 2024 release. We took the best of the past releases and added a new twist for 2024,” Crow said.
Looking at the checklist, the roster this year is fascinating. Dozens of rookies, including the exciting Benoit Saint-Denis, and a dense library of inserts for deserving GOATs in the making like Alex Peirera (who is featured on six different insert sets, including combo relic autos and Knockout auto relics) and surefire Hall of Famers like Khabib Nurmagomedov are included.
Let’s browse a bit:
What Am I Chasing In 2024 Topps UFC Knockout?
With each release, the Topps UFC brand grows bigger and bigger, and the work that goes into developing a Knockout set is exhausting. Crow explains how the team looks to the past and the future to create sets: “Just like we would with every set we build, we try to use a wide array of fighters to encompass the brand and make sure they fit into the themes for each insert.” But being thematically correct isn’t all. Crow explains that they dive deep and look to represent not only the best currently in the sport but “the up-and-coming future stars. We also used the brand’s history to create new looks and inserts that would best represent what the brand means to collectors.”
And there’s a massive, huge reveal here from Crow: “This is our first UFC product in 2024 that features on-card autographs. We also inked a deal to feature Conor McGregor, and these are his first UFC-certified autographs in almost a decade.”
Mac is back in a big way.
What Should 2024 Topps UFC Knockout Collectors Look For?
Knockout has always featured many iconic rookies (especially in 2014). Still, over the years, parallels and inserts of all the great fighters in the UFC have excited collectors to a considerable degree. Crow points out that one of the most popular inserts is officially returning with the AKA set: “One of the most popular inserts from the previous Knockout releases was the AKA Ink set, which featured nickname inscriptions. We chose to bring this back into the 2024 release.”
And it wouldn’t be a Knockout release without a respectful look back at past UFC legends and Hall of Fame martial artists. It’s not rare for internal designers and product managers to be hyped for new releases, but Knockout 2024 has everyone buzzing about the new Pillars of the Octagon insert. Crow explains: “Pillars of the Octagon is a legends autograph set designed to showcase the fighter’s place in UFC’s history. The design looked even better on the card than the early designs we saw on our computer screens.” This set includes a who’s who of UFC stars, with Daniel Cormier, Jens Pulver, Michael Bisping, Don Frye, and Forrest Griffin, to name a few.
With Topps back in the UFC’s corner, it’s time for another Knockout, and this year’s is better than ever. Get your latest pulls right here.
