Junior Dos Santos Retains Belt at UFC 146

Junior dos Santos successfully defended his heavyweight belt, using a second-round TKO to defeat Frank Mir in the main event of the UFC 146 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.

Dos Santos, who dominated the fight from the outset, turned aside a kick by Mir about two minutes into the second round and followed it up with a right hand. The blow knocked Mir down — and may have knocked him out briefly — although Dos Santos (15-1) landed one more punch before referee Herb Dean stopped the action.

This was Dos Santos’ first title defense after seizing the crown with a first-round knockout of Cain Velsaquez at UFC on FOX 1 in November. It was the first bout between the two, although Mir is well familiar with Dos Santos’ mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira — who had his arm broken at December’s UFC 140 by Mir.