Highly efficient, cost-effective and environmental-friendly electrocatalysts play a crucial role in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, a series of hybrids comprising of NiCo alloy, metal oxides and carbon black were readily prepared by a one-pot pyrolysis approach and employed as efficient ORR electrocatalysts in the alkaline media. Different amounts of Ketjen Black EC 300J (EC) with a large mesoporous area and exceptional electrical conductivity were directly added to synthesize the hybrids. Among the hybrids tested, the NC-MMO-EC-3 (where NC stands for NiCo alloy and MMO for mixed metal oxides) with an appropriate amount of EC displayed the best ORR electrochemical activity. The enhanced activity of the NC-MMO-EC-3 could be attributed to the conductivity improved by EC, the high dispersion of MMO and NC on EC support, and the beneficial interaction among those three components. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.