Gegard Mousasi didn't see a fast track to the UFC middleweight title, so he elected to take what he called a "detour" fight against Uriah Hall.
It proved to be a very quick detour.
Mousasi (41-6-2) defeated Hall via TKO at 4:37 of the first round on Saturday at UFC Fight Night inside SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The win avenged a TKO loss to Hall last year, which is Mousasi's only loss in his past six fights.
Last year's bout ended in the second round, when Hall (12-8) caught Mousasi with a spinning back kick and then a flying knee. It was a shocking upset, but Mousasi stopped short of calling it a fluke on Saturday.
"He won [the first fight] fair and square," Mousasi said. "I have to give respect to Uriah for taking the fight and giving me the rematch. We are athletes. I've got nothing against him."
With the score now evened with Hall, Mousasi turns his attention back toward the UFC title. Current champion Michael Bisping is expected to fight Yoel Romero in 2017. Prior to the Hall fight, Mousasi told ESPN.com a matchup against former champion Luke Rockhold would make sense.
"Whoever has the belt, I'm coming," Mousasi said. "What the f---, I'm coming."
Mousasi, 31, was patient and cautious to start the UFC Fight Night main event. He tracked down Hall with leg kicks and popped back his head with the jab. Hall, who fights out of Las Vegas, threw several spinning kicks, most of which were partially blocked. He traded leg kicks as well.
With just under one minute remaining in the first round, Mousasi moved into Hall's hips and took him down near the fence. It was a complete blowout from there, as Mousasi flattened out Hall and threw hard right hands to the side of the head. Hall did nothing but cover up, and referee Marc Goddard moved in quickly.
It is the 23rd knockout victory of Mousasi's career.