McGregor makes fast work of Cerrone on UFC return
LAS VEGAS: Conor McGregor made a triumphant return to the UFC octagon on Saturday, pummelling Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone for a technical knockout victory in just 40 seconds.
The mixed martial arts superstar from Ireland — returning to the Ultimate Fighting Championship for the first time since he was battered into submission by arch-rival Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018 — overpowered his American foe without ever being tested.
After charging in with a left and missing, McGregor immediately bloodied a clinching Cerrone’s nose with an upward shoulder strike — quickly followed by another.
As soon as Cerrone stepped back, McGregor caught him on the jaw with a high kick, then buried him under a hail of punches.
Referee Herb Dean stepped in to call a halt to the welterweight bout 40 seconds into the first round at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“I made history here tonight,” McGregor said. “I’m the first UFC fighter to secure knockouts in featherweight, lightweight and now welterweight.
“Etch my name in the history books one more time,” he said, before adding: “For the Irish people. For my mom back home.”
McGregor who took his record
to 22-4, was the first UFC fighter to hold two championship belts at the same time.
He achieved that feat in 2016, when he stopped Eddie Alvarez in a lightweight title fight, adding that belt to his featherweight title.
But he hadn’t won since.
That triumph was followed by a loss to boxing great Floyd Mayweather in a cross-combat superfight in 2017, his loss to Nurmagomedov, announcements of retirements and returns to fighting.