UFC 222: Cris Cyborg crushes Yana Kunitskaya to retain her women's featherweight title

The UFC returned to Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday for UFC 222 and the night ended exactly the same way as their last pay-per-view event at the T-Mobile Arena did, with Cris Cyborg as the UFC women's featherweight champion.

Only four weeks ago, the event was set to be headlined by UFC Max Holloway taking on Frankie Edgar in a very highly anticipated UFC featherweight title clash. Unfortunately, the champion Holloway suffered an ankle injury during his training camp and with most other UFC champions unavailable, the UFC turned to Cyborg to headline her second straight Las Vegas fight card.

Cyborg's opponent was Yana Kunitskaya, a Russian fighter who has previously been fighting under the Invicta FC banner where she reigned as their bantamweight champion. Kunitskaya moving up to 145-pounds for an immediate title shot in her UFC debut against the woman most consider to be the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world didn't sound like it was going to be a recipe for success and unsurprisingly the oddsmakers had the Russian a rank outsider prior to fight night.

Unlike several of Cyborg's previous opponents, Kunitskaya didn't give up much of a size advantage, but from the very early going it became quickly apparent that size was never going to play a big factor anyway.

The champion simply overwhelmed Kunitskaya from the outset and Cyborg settled quickly to her task as ripped a stinging left hand that rocked back the Russian's head.

Kunitskaya attempted to clinch Cyborg against the cage but after just 30-seconds the Brazilian broke away and the ending was nigh. Cyborg set up a beautiful right hand to drop Kunitskaya to the mat and as the Russian turtled up she rained down some hefty ground strikes.

The same sequence was then repeated after Kunitskaya got back to her feet, but this time Cyborg finished the fight after referee Herb Dean deemed that Kunitskaya was no longer intelligently defending herself.

It was yet another incredible performance by the Brazilian champion who after the fight called for a showdown with UFC women's bantamweight champion, Amanda Nunes.

Brian Ortega becomes the first man to finish Franke Edgar

In the co-main event of the evening, Edgar, who had been forced out of his fight his Holloway, chose to remain on the fight card and take on one of the UFC featherweight division's hottest prospects, Brian Ortega.

Edgar could've easily pulled himself from the event and waited on the sidelines until Holloway was ready to return, but that's never been the way that the former UFC lightweight champion has gone about his business and in Ortega last evening he had a dangerous opponent who many would not have dared fight on just 3 weeks notice.

Ortega, 27-years-old, came into the bout full of confidence following a win over Cub Swanson late last year and fate had it that he finished yet another veteran.

Edgar started out the bout the aggressor and he used his footwork well to move in and out of diagonals to land his jab. Other fighters have previously been bamboozled by Edgar's movement, but Ortega remained calm and waited for his opening which presented itself midway through the round when he landed a huge counter left elbow.

Edgar was clearly heavily rocked by the impact and Ortega took full advantage of the situation. The Californian landed a series of powerful uppercuts, the last of which lifted Edgar off his feet and dropped him to the mat. The referee then dove in to wave the fight off and Ortega celebrated as the crowd went wild.

Ortega will now likely be the next challenger for Max Holloway's featherweight title. Ortega deserved his victor, but you can't help but feel sorry for Edgar who could've sat on the sidelines and awaited a title shot.

Outside of the feature bouts, UFC veteran Mike Pyle retired after suffering his fifth loss in his last six bouts after being stopped by Zak Ottow in round one. Pyle may have lost the bout, but he was given a rousing reception from his hometown crowd as he left the Octagon in tears.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Mackenzie Dern also won her UFC debut after picking up a split decision victory over former The Ultimate Fighter contestant, Ashley Yoder.

UFC 222 Full Results

Cris Cyborg def. Yana Kunitskaya by TKO (punches) at 3:25 of Round One

Frian Ortega def. Frankie Edgar by KO at 4:44 of Round One

Sean O’Malley def. Andre Soukhamthath by unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 29-28)

Andrei Arlovski def. Stefan Struve by unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)

Ketlen Vieira def. Cat Zingano by split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Mackenzie Dern def. Ashley Yoder by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Alexander Hernandez def. Beneil Dariush by KO (punch) at 0:42 of Round One

John Dodson def. Pedro Munhoz by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

C.B. Dollaway def. Hector Lombard by DQ (punches after the bell) at 5:00 of Round One

Zak Ottow def. Mike Pyle by TKO (punches) at 2:34 of Round One

Cody Stamann def. Bryan Caraway by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Jordan Johnson def. Adam MIlstead by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)