BRENDAN LOUGHNANE walked away with the Professional Fighters League’s featherweight title and $1million prize cheque in stunning style.
Loughnane knocked out American Bubba Jenkins in round four of their winner-take-all finale fight in New York.
Bubba Jenkins was beaten by Brendan Loughnane
Brendan Loughnane stopped Bubba Jenkins in round four
The PFL rivals embrace after their finale fight
It earned him the 145lb crown and $1m (£840,000) cash prize to go with it, capping off the performance of a lifetime.
Loughnane, 32, said: “Forget the belt, forget the million, it’s about the performance.
“I believe I’m one of the best featherweights in the world in any organisation and I proved that tonight.”
The PFL is MMA’s only league format, consisting of a regular season and playoffs.
READ MORE IN SPORT
Stars in each weight division have two qualifying bouts, where points are earned per method of victory.
The top four then progress into the knockout stages, resulting in a finale fight between the last two.
Loughnane beat New Yorker Chris Wade, 34, in August in London to book his place in the Madison Square Garden showpiece.
And he did the double over his American rivals by stopping Jenkins, 34, in front of his elated friends and family.
Most read in MMA
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Loughnane celebrated the win with his loved ones and dedicated the fight of his life to his mum.
He said: “This woman here is my rock. She spurred me on when we didn’t have a pound in the back and now look at what we’ve got
“That’s why I’m crying. I’m emotional. Thank you PFL and to all these people who spent their money to come here tonight.
“Times are hard. Covid just ended. Everyone here, thank you.”
Brendan Loughnane celebrates with his $1m cheque Read More