UFC DC: Floyd Mayweather protegé Makhmud Muradov scores HUGE knockout win on US debut (VIDEO)

Floyd Mayweather's MMA protegé scored a huge highlight-reel finish as Uzbekistan-born Makmud Muradov knocked out American Trevor "Hot Sauce" Smith in the first bout of the night at UFC DC.

Muradov, who hasn't lost since 2016, headed into Washington DC on a 12-fight win streak, and he extended that run with a blistering combination to finish Smith with a beautiful three-piece combination, finishing with a huge overhand right that sent Smith's mouthpiece flying as the American went crashing to the canvas.

It was a superb knockout, and one that his manager Floyd Mayweather would surely have loved as the first MMA fighter in his TMT stable produced the goods on the big stage on his US debut.

"This was my first fight in the United States, but not my last fight," said Muradov after the fight.

"I’m happy I’m here and opening this card, I’m happy I got my first KO in the UFC, I’m happy."

Muradov also said that he is only just scratching the surface of what he's capable of inside the octagon, and he promised to deliver even more exciting fights and finishes in 2020.

"If you give me three months, I can show the UFC and fans my big power," he said.

"Before it was always two weeks or three weeks, now I have two months with a full camp and I show everyone what happens.

"Maybe I fight six times again next year, who knows? I’m waiting for my contract, maybe I’ll have my next fight in March or April and whoever the UFC wants that is near my rank, but I’m open to everything."