Jonathan Brookins earned his first victory since winning The Ultimate Fighter on Wednesday night's UFC on FUEL card, unloading on Vagner Rocha with several hard right hands on the ground and knocking him out in the first round.
For Brookins, who lost to Erik Koch in September, it was a big win that gets his career back on track, and he said afterward that he was delighted to beat a well-regarded opponent like Rocha.
"Vagner is super tough," Brookins said. "So I'm really thankful. ... That's just the way it goes sometimes. It could have been either one of us right there."
It didn't take Brookins long to get on top of Rocha on the ground and knock him out with vicious ground and pound, but Brookins said he isn't going to take any time to celebrate because he's going to get right back to work.
"I'm thrilled, but it's back to the drawing board for me," Brookins said. "I've got to grow and grow and grow. I'm just thrilled to be growing in this organization."