Rafael dos Anjos stops Donald Cerrone in first round to retain UFC title

ORLANDO, Fla. – Rafael dos Anjos stopped Donald Cerrone at 1 minute, 6 seconds of the first round Saturday night to retain the UFC lightweight title.

Dos Anjos hurt Cerrone with a left kick to the midsection, moved in and unleashed a flurry of shots against the fence. Cerrone managed to escape and get back to the center of the octagon, but the fight went to the ground and dos Anjos finished it there.

Dos Anjos improved to 35-7 in his first title defense and second victory of Cerrone.

Cerrone dropped to 28-7 after winning eight straight fights.

Earlier, Alistair Overeem (40-14) scored a technical knockout win over former UFC champion Junior Dos Santos (17-4) in a heavyweight fight.

The two combined to land just 11 strikes in the first round, with Overeem managing seven to Dos Santos’ four, but the action picked up late in the second. After Dos Santos pressed Overeem against the cage with a combination, the two moved back across the octagon where Overeem dropped Dos Santos with a left hook. Overeem, who picked up his third consecutive win, pounced on his downed opponent and landed four hammer fists before the fight was stopped.

In a lightweight fight, Nate Diaz (18-10) picked up a unanimous decision over Michael Johnson (16-10) in a standup battle.

It was Diaz’s first fight in more than a year, and only his second win in his last five fights, but he looked sharp over the final two rounds to earn the decision. The two kept it standing the entire fight, and the lightning-quick Johnson got the better of the exchanges in the first, out-striking Diaz 36-24. But Johnson slowed in the second, and Diaz began to land combinations as the two slugged it out in the second and third rounds.

It was Johnson’s second consecutive loss.