Sunday 13 November 2016 16:36, UK
Conor McGregor made light work of Eddie Alvarez, toying with the UFC lightweight champion then knocking him out inside two rounds to take his championship on Saturday night.
The featherweight title-holder, McGregor, became the first fighter to hold belts in two weight divisions simultaneously at UFC 205 on the organisation's first trip to New York City since a ban was lifted.
McGregor displayed a punch-perfect performance, toying with Alvarez and showboating before a four-punch combination ended the fight at 3:04 in the second round.
Inside the first three minutes, Alvarez had been floored three times as McGregor's proficiency with his trademark shot, the southpaw straight left, came to the fore.
Two quick-fire counter-punches sent Alvarez down the first time, before he stumbled to the canvas again. A third more brutal knock-down followed, but McGregor remained patient.
The Irishman put his hands behind his back, taunting his overwhelmed opponent, in the second round while completely nullifying the American's wrestling prowess. Four accurate strikes to the head from both fists closed the deal shortly after.
McGregor becomes the third fighter to hold championships in different weight classes (alongside BJ Penn and Randy Couture) but the first to wear belts at the same time, having stopped Jose Aldo to claim the featherweight title a year ago.
"I have spent a lot time of time slating everyone in the company," he said afterwards. "I have ridiculed the entire roster and I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, I want to take this opportunity to apologise...to absolutely nobody!"
Elsewhere at UFC 205, Tyron Woodley kept his welterweight championship after a majority draw against Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson.
Woodley had his challenger on the cusp of defeat in the fourth round - two monstrous right hands forced knock-downs before a guillotine submission signalled the beginning of the end but Thompson valiantly refused to quit.
After confusion over the score-cards (one judge gave Woodley the verdict, the other two scored a draw), the champion was initially announced as the winner before it was re-counted as a majority draw.
The unbeaten Joanna Jedrzejczyk defended her women's straw-weight title with a five-round unanimous decision against Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
The champion was in full control of her Polish compatriot until Kowalkiewicz flattened her in the fourth round, forcing Jedrzejczyk to grit her teeth until the final bell.
