It was a victorious debut for the Washington, DC native as Mike Easton was able to stop late-replacement Byron Bloodworth in both fighter's UFC debut.
Easton was characteristically slow to start, but eventually took over in the second round dropping Bloodworth with brutal knees from the clinch. Easton similarly defeated Rick Desper that way, although that fight went the distance.
There isn't much to add to the analysis, except Easton got an excellent fight for a tune-up in his return to professional MMA competition.
Here's our liveblog of the end:
Round 2 Easton takes a switch kick. Leg kick from Easton. Another. A third. A fourth. Easton pressing forward. Bloodworth in and out with a punch. Easton walking him down. Bad take down attempt by Bloodworth. Easton lands an uppercut. Bloodworth counters. Bloodworth with a flying knee that misses. Easton with another round kick to the leg. Left hook to right leg kick hurts Bloodworth. Again. Easton charging after a retreating Bloodworth. Bloodworth switching stances. Easton failing to cut off the cage. Low blow to Bloodworth pauses the action. Hard inside leg kick goes high and drills the groin. They restart and Bloodworth continues to circle away. Easton showing no respect for Bloodworth's strikes. Easton forces a clinch and Bloodworth reverses him against the cage. Bloodworth drops for a take down, Easton sprawls. Easton landing some high knees. Easton drops Bloodworth with a vicious knee to the body. He follows him down with hard punches and the referee stops the beating.