Mark Hunt scores vintage knockout win over Frank Mir in first round of UFC Brisbane main event

It took Mark Hunt all of three minutes to finish Frank Mir in Brisbane, as the kickboxing legend caught the former UFC champion on the end of a powerful straight right hand in their main event clash.

A classic striker versus grappler matchup, Mir unsuccessfully looked to take the fight to the ground. Hunt, appearing in the same leaner shape as he did back at UFC 193, dealt with his grappling advances with ease.

Pawing out two jabs, Hunt threw out his right hand with furious intentions. The impact plastered Mir to the canvas and Hunt walked away casually before the referee had the chance to officially stop the contest.

Mark Hunt celebrates victory over Frank Mir, who was forced to give up even before the referee stepped in

Hunt caught Mir with a powerful straight right hand in their main event clash at UFC Brisbane to knock him out

Mir fell to the ground after being struck by Hunt and was unable to get back up during the first round of the bout

‘Jesus Christ, my lord and savior, thank you!’ shouted Hunt as the Brisbane crowd roared their appreciation.

The 42-year-old acknowledged the effort of his opponent in his post-fight interview.

‘There’s always a winner and a loser and it’s sad that one of us had to lose tonight,’ he said. ‘Frank is a good dude, I respect him a lot and I want to thank everyone out here for coming out and supporting us. I appreciate all you guys. And, to all the fighters, it’s not about winning or losing.’

Hunt, a popular figure in Brisbane, spoke after the win about his admiration for his opponent US opponent Mir

'There's always a winner and a loser... it's sad that one of us had to lose tonight,' he said. 'Frank's a good dude.'

Earlier, Neil Magny had to overcome a massive opening surge from a returning Hector Lombard to even stay contention to win their welterweight showdown in the co-main event.

Lombard caught the rangy Elevation fighter with a big right hand that dropped him before he followed him to the canvas and delivered punishing left hands as he held him down. When Magny managed to escape to his feet, Lombard was static having exhausted himself from the early assault.

Magny finished the second round in the mount position throwing unanswered blows for what seemed like an eternity, but referee Steve Perceval somehow let the fight continue. Lombard appeared groggy in the third and it wasn’t long before Magny had him locked in a mounted triangle choke. Pouring on more grounded shots, Perceval eventually stopped the fight.

Hector Lombard was close to tears and sporting a cut below his left eye after being beaten by Neil Magny

Magny had to overcome a late surge by Lombard but his sheer speed and power was enough to down Lombard

Lombard found it difficult to contend with the quick hands of Magny who was relentless in his attack throughout

The Cuban took a series of heavy blows to the face that eventually opened him up as he struggled on the floor

Magny's punches were strong, powerful and rarely missed as Lombard started to wilt under the pressure

It told when Magny got Lombard in a mounted triangle choke and referee Steve Percival stopped the fight

‘I was pretty wobbled,’ said Magny of the first round. ‘There were some positions there where I was just thinking to cover my head. I caught a couple of shots to the back of the head, but tried to not let it effect me and I kept driving on.’

‘My coaches just told me to go out there and do the same thing again,’ he remarked of the stoppage that never came in the second. ‘I train with elevation Fight Team, if they tell me I can do something I know that I can do it. I went out there and did just that.’

Sunderland’s Ross Pearson put on a fantastic striking showcase with Chad Laprise earlier in the night. The British fighter won the technical clash by split decision after and enthralling three rounds.

Sunderland's Ross Pearson (left) was victorious in after he defeated Chad Laprise of Canada by split decision

 Pearson had to withstand three gruelling yet enthralling rounds before being named as the winner of the bout

A number of fierce straight left hands were enough to stop Laprise getting close and Pearson took control

Laprise made it an entertaining fight as he did his utmost to stay in the fight before losing by technical decision

Pearson credited his opponent for a great fight and revealed his disgust with his last outing, a split decision loss to Francisco Trinaldo in January.

‘Chad was a short notice fight, we didn’t really prepare for each other,’ he said. ‘We just went out and felt each other out in the first round and then we let it go. Chad is a tricky opponent, so I had to keep it a little bit tight and organised.

‘My last fight was a little bit of a farce, I’m just trying to step it up a gear a little bit. In that third round we got into it a little bit but I felt comfortable all the time.’