LAS VEGAS -- More than two years passed since the last time we saw Michael McDonald in the Octagon.
And for awhile there, it looked like another two years might pass before we saw him again.
But McDonald scored the UFC's first submission win of 2016 in dizzying fashion on Saturday night, as he finished veteran Masanori Kanehara with a swift transition into a rear-naked choke at UFC 195. The time of the finish of the bantamweight matchup at the MGM Grand Garden Arena was 2:09 of the second round.
McDonald showed ring rust in the opening round, as he used a sloppy guillotine as defense for a Kanehara takedown, which enabled his foe to escape and work from top position for much of the rest of the round.
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In the second, McDonald (19-4) was stuck in a deep Kanehara arm triangle choke, when, out of nowhere, he escaped, mounted Kanehara's back, and sunk in the hooks for the winning choke, forcing Kanehara to tap.
It was a sweet return for McDonald, who is still just 24 years old, as he competed for the first time since his Dec. 14, 2013 loss to Urijah Faber.
"I've been fighting very often since I was 14 and this was my first long break," said McDonald, who had his sixth career submission win. "It was tough, it's glad to be in front of these people."
Kanehara (25-13-5) lost for the third time in his past four fights.