Australian mixed martial arts fighter Alexander Volkanovski defeated Russia's Movsar Evloev at UFC 333, the website infohub.kz reports.
Their featherweight (up to 65.7 kg) clash headlined the show in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Volkanovski entered the bout as the reigning champion defending his belt, while Evloev came into the event as the division's top-ranked contender.
The fight was scheduled for five rounds but ended early. Late in the second frame, Volkanovski rocked his opponent and then began finishing him on the canvas. With Evloev offering little defense, the referee stopped the fight six seconds before the bell and ruled a technical knockout.
For the 38-year-old Australian, the win was his third in a row. His record now stands at 29 victories and four defeats. Volkanovski also set a new UFC record for the most featherweight title fight wins — nine.
Evloev, meanwhile, suffered the first loss of his professional career. The 32-year-old fighter of Ingush origin had previously won all 20 of his bouts.