Rob Kimmons slams Steve Steinbeiss during their UFC on Versus mixed martial arts match at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)Denis Poroy/The Associated Press
Rising light-heavyweight star Jon (Bones) Jones made short work of veteran Vladimir (The Janitor) Matyushenko on Sunday night at UFC Live 2 at the San Diego Sports Arena.
The former junior college wrestling champion tripped Matyushenko in the centre of the cage, moved into side control and trapped his arm before firing 10 unanswered elbows on Matyushenko's unprotected head.
Referee Herb Dean stepped in at one minute 52 seconds as the 23-year-old Jones ran his record to 11-1, including 5-1 in the UFC.
The six-foot-four Jones, an 8-1 favourite according to one bookmaker, had a four-inch height advantage and a 10.5-inch edge in reach.
Jones was coming off a short but one-sided beating of Brandon (The Truth) Vera and the quick win over Matyushenko will move him several more steps up the 205-pound ladder.
The 39-year-old Matyushenko (24-5) is a former IFL champion who has been around the MMA block. A former accomplished amateur wrestler in his own right, he had no answers Sunday.
Former Pride star Takanori (The Fireball Kid) Gomi showed his teeth for the first time in the UFC, knocking out lightweight Tyson Griffin with a powerful right hook at 1:04 of the first round. The punch felled Griffin, who toppled face first.
The 31-year-old Gomi (32-6 with one no contest) was comprehensively beaten in his UFC debut by Kenny Florian.
"This what I consider my start in the UFC," Gomi said through an interpreter. "The first time I was here I really didn't know how to fight American (style). You saw what happened today. I think I got the hang of it."
Griffin (14-4), who had never been knocked out before, was coming off a loss to Evan Dunham at UFC 115. Griffin was in injury replacement for Joe (Daddy) Stevenson.
Welterweight Jake Ellenberger (23-5) used a smart game plan to hand John (Doomsday) Howard his first loss in five UFC fights via TKO on a doctor's stoppage at 2:21 of the third round.
Ellenberger, who at 6-0 had a five-inch height advantage, used his takedowns to survive Howard's power and his ground and pound left Howard (14-5) with a grotesquely swollen left eye by the end of the second round. Howard's face was so misshapen, with the eye closed, that the doctor had a look before the final round and then, after being called in by Dean, finally put a halt to it.
"He tough and he hits hard ... He's a warrior," said Ellenberger, who was open to a rematch.
"I got some good elbows on him," he added.
Japan's Yushin (Thunder) Okami moved closer to the top of the middleweight ranks by winning a 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 split decision over Mark (The Filipino Wrecking Machine) Munoz.
Okami (26-5) used his striking to stave off Munoz, a former NCAA champion wrestler, and was able to blunt Munoz's attempts to get the fight to the canvas where he could use his heavy ground and pound.
Okami went down briefly from a shot in the second, repaying the favour in the third round when he hurt Munoz (8-2) with a strike.
In earlier action, Brian (All American) Stann celebrated his move down to middleweight by submitting Mike (The Master of Disaster) Massenzio via triangle choke at 3:10 of the third round.
Lightweight Charles (Do Bronx) Oliveira, despite being slammed to the canvas early, showed some slick jiu-jitsu in his UFC debut in stopping Darren (The Damage) Elkins. Oliveira (13-0) transitioned from triangle choke to armbar forcing Elkins to tap 41 seconds into the first round.
Croatian Igor Pokrajac spoiled James (The Sandman) Irvin's return to light-heavyweight, choking him out 2:29 into the first round. Middleweight Rob (The Rosedale Reaper) Kimmons won a unanimous decision over Steve (The Hooligan) Steinbeiss.
In welterweight action, Matt Riddle stopped DaMarques Johnson via at 4:29 of the second round in a battle of TUF alumni and Jacob (Christmas) Volkmann won a unanimous decision over England's Paul (Tellys) Kelly.
The televised card was originally slated for Salt Lake City but was moved to the West Coast because of poor ticket sales.
The card marked the return to the UFC of veteran referee (Big) John McCarthy, picked for the show by the California State Athletic Commission.