Liverpool's Dean Garnett captured championship gold with a spectacular third-round knockout of Argentina's Lucas Corbage at Hexagone MMA 8 in Beziers, France.
The event, which took place in front of 5,000 fans in an old bullfighting arena, saw Garnett finish Corbage in Round 3 with a huge overhand right and follow-up ground strikes to claim an emphatic knockout victory and capture the promotion's 145-pound title.
After his stoppage win, Garnett said the success was something he had envisioned ever since he joined the French promotion.
"It feels like it was always meant to be," he said.
"From the moment I signed the contract to be a Hexagone fighter, it never crossed my mind that I wouldn't have this belt before the year was out.
"I knew it was coming, and it was my second knockout in two fights. I really wanted to show a bit of my grappling tonight. Lucas Corbage is a really good jiu-jitsu fighter and I was hoping to submit him, to be honest. But I'll take the win, no matter how it comes. I'm just very happy."
He also set his sights on French fan-favorite Anthony Dizy as he looks to add one of France's most prominent names to his resume.
"I want to face him. He is one of the best French fighters of all time. This is the kind of top-level fight I need to move forward!" he said.
"Since the start of my contract with Hexagone MMA, I have had the goal of winning the belt, and now it's done. Lucas Corbage is a strong fighter, but I want better."
Elsewhere on the card, French strawweight Stephanie Page claimed a unanimous decision win over Karla Benitez to pick up her second win under the Hexagone MMA banner, while former pro wrestler-turned MMA fighter Jack Claffey claimed his first win as a pro with a first-round arm-triangle choke finish of Kevin Simon Cesari.
And, in the opening bout of the night, Adel Khaldoune set a new record for the fastest finish in Hexagone MMA history with a 15-second knockout of Georges Ngoma in their featherweight matchup.
Hexagone MMA 8: Official results
- Dean Garnett def. Lucas Corbage via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 2:04 – for featherweight title
- Stephanie Page def. Karla Benitez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Jack Claffey def. Kevin Simon Cesari via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:13
- Lazaro Maza Blanco def. Gyorgy Komuves via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:32
- Mathieu Rakotondrazanany def. Faudel Bentaieb via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Allan Taibi def. Frankie Rollandt via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Shekibulah Waris def. Boualem Sahraoui via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 4:19
- Adel Khaldoune def. Georges Ngoma via knockout – Round 1, 0:15
