St. Pierre makes successful return with submission of Bisping

Dillashaw, Namajunas also claim belts

NEW YORK — Three title belts changed hands on one of the wildest nights in UFC history Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Georges St. Pierre capped the insanity with a third-round technical submission of Michael Bisping to claim the middleweight title almost four years after vacating his welterweight belt and walking away from the sport.

“I don’t have the words in my mouth right now,” he said after choking Bisping unconscious in the main event of UFC 217. “It’s my dream come true.”

Also on the card, T.J. Dillashaw knocked out former friend and training partner Cody Garbrandt in the second round to take the bantamweight title, and Rose Namajunas stunned Joanna Jedrzejczyk with a first-round knockout to claim the women’s strawweight belt.

St. Pierre showed little sign of rust early in the fight, taking control of the first round with his jab and landing a late takedown. He appeared to be fatiguing a bit late in the third before dropping Bisping with a right hook and locking in a rear-naked choke on the ground at 4:20.

It was his 13th consecutive win overall.

“He was the better man tonight,” Bisping said. “Give it up to him. There’s nothing else to say. He beat me and choked me out. No excuses.”

Dillashaw, who lost the bantamweight belt to Dominick Cruz by split decision in January 2016, got it back with a knockout of Garbrandt that was set up with a head kick that staggered and dropped the champion.

“You can say ‘and new,’ but, to me, it’s ‘and still’ because I don’t believe I ever lost this belt,” Dillashaw said. It wasn’t easy.

Dillashaw was almost finished late in the first round and staggered back to his corner after Garbrandt’s onslaught was interrupted by the bell.

He recovered in the second round and got the finish at 2:41.

Namajunas didn’t need a full round to end the reign of Jedrzejczyk, who was seeking to equal Ronda Rousey’s record for most consecutive title defenses by a female champion in UFC history.

She was dropped twice in the first round, the second time by a big left hook.

Namajunas pounced and unleashed a barrage of short punches on the ground. Jedrzejczyk appeared to tap out to the strikes just as the referee was stepping in to stop the fight.

“It really hasn’t hit me yet,” Namajunas said. “For some reason, I kept seeing the finish coming in the third, but I’ll take the first. I’m so happy right now. I can’t wait to get home, look at my garden and take this all in.”