Ramazan Temirov needed less than five minutes to deliver the biggest statement of his UFC career.

“Temurlan” stunned former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg with a devastating first-round knockout in the co-main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, extending his winning streak while firmly inserting himself into the division’s rankings conversation.

Ramazan Temirov wasted no time imposing his power, dropping Erceg with the very first right hand he landed. The Australian briefly survived by shooting for a takedown and recovering on the feet, but the explosive Uzbek never eased off the pressure. Constantly marching forward, Temirov stalked his opponent and repeatedly uncorked thunderous right hands whenever “Astroboy” attempted to create space.

The relentless assault reached its climax in the closing minute of the round. “Temurlan” floored Erceg twice in quick succession before chasing him to the fence, where another crushing right hand left the former title challenger unconscious and brought an immediate end to the contest at the 4:21 mark.

The spectacular knockout marked Ramazan Temirov’s 11th first-round finish as a professional. He improved to 3-0 inside the Octagon, stretched his overall winning streak to 12, and announced himself as a legitimate threat in the flyweight division following his 17-month layoff from PED suspension.

Erceg, meanwhile, dropped to 14-5 overall and 5-4 in the UFC, having now lost four of his last six promotional appearances.