Conor McGregor Defeats Cerrone In 40 Seconds In UFC Return

Conor McGregor has returned to action with a stunning knockout of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in under a minute at UFC 246, in his first mixed martial arts fight since losing a lightweight title bout to Khabib Nurmagomedov 15 months ago.

The former two-division champion left Cerrone bloodied just seconds into Saturday's welterweight fight by ramming his shoulders into his face from the clinch. When they broke, McGregor landed a head kick that set the American wobbling and scrambling back to the cage.

The 31-year-old Irishman closed in and rained down strikes as Cerrone, 36, covered up, prompting referee Herb Dean to stop the fight after just 40 seconds, in a night that echoed McGregor's greatest fights during his unparalleled rise.

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