UFC in Phoenix: Francis Ngannou KOs Cain Velasquez in 26 seconds

Kirstie Chiappelli

UFC in Phoenix: Francis Ngannou KOs Cain Velasquez in 26 seconds image

It took less than half a minute for Francis Ngannou to finish Cain Velasquez during UFC Phoenix’s main event on Sunday.

Ngannou appeared to land a few close punches to the head after the fight started, but it was all over when Velasquez’s knee buckled and he fell to the floor. The 26-second fight was the 12th-fastest KO/TKO in UFC heavyweight history.

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Velasquez made his anticipated return to the octagon for the first time since July 2016 after dealing with bone spurs in his back, but the 36-year-old fighter and former two-time champion was stifled early as Ngannou recorded the ninth first-round stoppage of his career.

"He was really fast, so I didn’t even realize what happened," Ngannou said, via UFC.com. "I’m back stronger than I was before. Completely different fighter than I was before. (More) dangerous fighter than I was before."

Ngannou, nicknamed "The Predator," moves to 13-3 with the win, while Velasquez drops to 14-3.

 

Kirstie Chiappelli