Sinéad Kavanagh fell to a disappointing defeat as her world title dream disintegrated in the face of a first-round assault from Cris Cyborg at Bellator 271.
The Inchicore featherweight lasted just over 90 seconds against arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in MMA history as she was stunned by the Brazilian fighter.
Cyborg landed a clean right hand with her back on the cage and landed a second knockout blow before finishing the job on the canvas.
Conor McGregor-sponsored Kavanagh cut a disconsolate figure following the stoppage having come into the fight promising to ‘shock the world.’
The 35-year-old walked out in understated fashion to Queen’s ‘Kind of Magic’ to boos from the Hollwood crowd and warmed up with the Irish tricolour draped on the octagon behind her.
Champion Cyborg limbered up with a backdrop of her array of sponsors, which perhaps demonstrated the difference in background of the fighters.
The Dubliner applauded Cyborg as the fourth defence of her Bellator title was confirmed in the ring, the Brazilian moving to 25-2.
Cyborg said: “I trained really hard for this fight and I say sorry to my team because I don’t do anything that we planned!
“You never know. You go train, you have a feeling about the fight. I didn’t plan this, but I feel great and I’m really happy to win.
“I knew she was more [of a striker] so I had the opportunity to go to the ground game, but I said I wanted to stand up and that right hand was getting faster and I’m very happy to knock her out.”
