Jorge Masvidal said it would be quick, but even the UFC lightweight couldn't have predicted a five-second knockout over Ben Askren.
The two title contenders faced off in a key lightweight division feature fight at UFC 239 in Las Vegas on Sunday (NZT), the winner likely to receive a future shot at champion Kumaru Usman.
- UFC 239: Jon Jones prevails over game Thiago Santos
- UFC 239: Jones v Santos - As it happened
- LISTEN: Fight Club podcast
After months of back-and-forth trash talk, the highly anticipated fight delivered, with the fastest finish in UFC history.
Masvidal promised brutality in the pre-fight build-up and that's exactly what he dished to Askren, a highly decorated college wrestler.
The fourth-ranked contender ran across the Octagon and launched a vicious flying knee at an advancing Askren, knocking the previously unbeaten 34-year-old out cold.
Masvidal delivered two more unnecessary shots to a defenceless Askren, before the referee could jump in and stop the fight.
Askren took several minutes to regain consciousness, before he was led out of the cage with assistance from medical personnel.
At the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White told media that Askren was cleared of any significant damage by a local hospital.
Masvidal was scathing in assessing the credentials of his opponent.
"Nothing personal, it's just business," he said. "I'm here to get these cheques and get paid.
"He's so predictable, he's a scrub. I wanted to show him, if he did shoot like an idiot, then he'd get clipped and that would put the brakes on him.
"I'd beat him up and execute him. I put my hands behind my back and he fell for it."
When he was criticised for landing the blows on his opponent following the flying knee, Masvidal said: "They were super necessary, why were they not necessary?
"The referee hadn't pulled me off. My job is to hit someone until the referee pulls me off.
"To those people, I would say maybe don't watch MMA, go back to soccer."
Newshub.
