Brazilian bantamweight contender "Magic" Marlon Moraes produced a performance worthy of his fighting moniker as he submitted fellow contender Raphael Assuncao in the first round at UFC Fortaleza on Saturday night.
Moraes lost to Assuncao in the first meeting between the pair at UFC 212, with the more experienced man edging a split-decision verdict over the then-UFC debutant.
But Moraes looked by far the sharper of the pair when they met in a pivotal rematch for the UFC bantamweight division in Fortaleza on February 2 as he scored a headline-making victory to position himself as the division's clear number-one contender for the title.
Also on rt.com UFC Fortaleza: Marlon Moraes stuns Raphael Assuncao and calls for bantamweight title shot (RECAP)Moraes beat Assuncao to the punch and shrugged off the longtime contender in the clinch as he kept his fellow countryman where he wanted him - in striking range.
And a pair of huge right hands found their mark, first stunning, then dropping Assuncao mid-way through the opening round.
Moraes followed his man to the canvas, where he established top position before locking up a guillotine choke and rolling on top to increase his leverage and force the tap at the 3:17 mark.
The victory completed a hat-trick of first-round finishes of leading names of the UFC bantamweight division, with Moraes' submission of Assuncao joining first-round knockouts of American contenders Aljamain Sterling and Jimmie Rivera.
And it almost certainly set up Moraes to face the current UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, whose attempt to drop down to flyweight and defeat 125lb world champion Henry Cejudo ended with a first-round knockout defeat at UFC Brooklyn last month.
When asked about his next move Moraes made clear his intentions, saying: "I'm the best in the division and you know who I deserve!"
ALDO TURNS BACK THE CLOCK
Two-time former UFC featherweight world champion Jose Aldo thrilled the Fortaleza crowd as he finished rising contender Renato Moicano with a blistering salvo of strikes in the second round of their co-main event contest.
Aldo, who has stated his intention to retire at the end of his current UFC contract, went into the contest as the betting underdog against the dangerous Moicano, but after a cagey opening round, the former UFC and WEC world champion exploded into life as he overwhelmed his opposite number with a non-stop barrage of strikes.
After the contest, Aldo said he wanted his next fight to take place on home soil once again, but wouldn't be drawn on whether he would chase another world title fight before he hangs up his gloves for good.