Joel Faglier survives multiple knockdowns, KOs Javad Mahjoub at UFC Edmonton

Javad Mahjoub was cruising in his new home country of Canada — right up until the horn ended round one. Joel Faglier survived being hurt early and knocked down multiple times in the opening five minutes, then folded a completely gassed-out Mahjoub with one big right hand in the second round of UFC Edmonton.

For much of the first round the fight was all Mahjoub. The hulking heavyweight looked ready to make his mark on the division in his promotional debut, clipping Faglier early and sending him to the canvas more than once. Faglier just refused to stay down, and the early barrage only bought him time to find his range.

The difference showed the moment the opening frame ended. Faglier walked back to his corner, but Mahjoub was left standing with his hands on his knees, absolutely wiped out. He made his way back to the centre of the octagon to start round two with nothing left in the tank to answer Faglier's pressure.

Once Faglier started to land — especially to the body — the writing was officially on the wall.

A late right hand ends it

Mahjoub had emptied the gas tank trying to end it in round one. Faglier went to work immediately in the second stanza, and once the strikes started landing — particularly the body shots — Mahjoub had no answer. A big right hand put him on the floor, and Faglier followed with ground and pound until referee Marc Goddard stepped in to wave the bout off.

The win improves Faglier to a perfect 7-0 and keeps his unbeaten record intact. Mahjoub, a fellow debutant fighting in front of a new home crowd, slips to 5-1 with the first loss of his professional career after a night that had started like his breakthrough.

The finish was the kind of heavyweight chaos UFC Edmonton will keep the replays rolling for. For Faglier, it is a comeback that will do far more for his name than any routine win could, and a reminder that heavyweight momentum can flip the moment the gas tank runs dry.