Sunday 17 August 2014 14:49, UK
Sunderland lightweight Ross Pearson provided the most explosive moment of Fight Night in Bangor, Maine, by stopping veteran Gray Maynard.
Ryan Bader then won a gruelling and grinding decision over Ovince St. Preux in the main-event but the lasting memory is Pearson’s knock-out.
Gray cloud
A second-round stoppage of Maynard put a dramatic end to a rotten streak of fortune for Pearson which included a notoriously cruel decision loss to Diego Sanchez in his last bout.
On Saturday night, Pearson ended the co-main event at 1 minute 35 seconds of the second round after a short right cross left Maynard out on his feet. Pearson patiently waited for another opening before his heavy fists ended the fight.
While Pearson appears on the verge of the top 10, Maynard's future is in doubt after three straight stoppage losses.
Contention
Bader provided a refusal to drift out of light-heavyweight contendership after a five-round unanimous decision win over the up-and-coming St. Preux.
The main-event was scored 48-47, 49-46, 49-46 after Bader's wrestling gradually tired and smothered St. Preux.
It was Bader's third consecutive victory to reaffirm himself amongst the 205 pound division's elite while St. Preux has been sent back to the drawing board after his first defeat in three years.
Elsewhere in Maine, Southampton's Tom 'Kong' Watson beat Sam Alvey by unanimous decision.
Tim Boetsch also knocked out Brad Tavares and Shawn Jordan stopped Jack May.
Jussier Formiga and Sara McMann earned decision wins over Zach Makovsky and Lauren Murphy, respectively.
