UFC 146 Results: Jamie Varner Upsets Unbeaten Edson Barboza

Scratch Edson Barboza from the ranks of the unbeaten.

The vaunted Brazilian lightweight striker was upset at UFC 146, knocked out by the returning Jamie Varner in just 3:23 of the first round.

Barboza got off to a strong start, looking to chop Varner down with leg kicks, but the fight shifted when Varner caught a kick and took him down, scoring ground strikes.

Barboza got back to his feet but Varner staggered him with a straight right hand. He dropped him with another right and dropped a series of hammerfists over his fallen opponent until ref Steve Mazzagatti had seen enough.

The former WEC champion immediately ran to a camera and mouthed the words, "I'm back."

"Once you hit rock bottom you appreciate the places you've been, so I just want to thank the UFC for another chance," he said.

Varner, who had taken the fight on short notice, improved to 19-6-1 with 2 no contests.

Barboza had come into the fight as more than a 5-to-1 favorite. He was 10-0 coming into the fight and had won three straight Fight of the Night awards. On this night, he might be on the wrong end of another award, Knockout of the Night, as Varner returned with a flourish.

It was his first time in a UFC cage since March 2007, a fight that also ended in a first-round stoppage victory.

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• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos nails Frank Mir with a left at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos walks to the cage at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos readies himself at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos walks into the cage at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir prepares for Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos does his pre-fight ritual at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir covers up from a Junior dos Santos overhand right at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos relaxes between rounds at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos again throws the right at at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir tumbles after eating a hard shot from Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir tries to cover up from punches at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir attempts to land a knee at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos A hard punch forces Frank Mir to step back at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir tries to hang on after being hurt at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Frank Mir lays on the canvas after his loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos is declared the champion at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos is animated and excited after his win at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos poses for the media after his win at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Junior dos Santos and his team pose for pictures after his win at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Antonio Silva readies for Cain Velasquez at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Antonio Silva at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez works top position at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez holds Antonio Silva down at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photo Antonio Silva is covered in his own blood at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez wears the blood of Antonio Silva at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez works a front head lock at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Antonio Silva tries to stand, but Cain Velasquez forces him back down at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Referee Josh Rosenthal yells instructions at Antonio Silva at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez wins by TKO stoppage at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Cain Velasquez is victorious at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Antonio Silva has doctors attend to him at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Antonio Silva walks back to the dressing room at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Roy Nelson follows up on a hurt Dave Herman at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Roy Nelson enters the Octagon at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dave Herman lands a push kick on Roy Nelson at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Roy Nelson lands a hard overhand right at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dave Herman collapses after being hit with a hard punch from Roy Nelson at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Roy Nelson is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Shane del Rosario prepares at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Stipe Miocic gets checked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Shane del Rosario lands a body kick on Stipe Miocic at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Shane del Rosario nearly lands a knee at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Stipe Miocic fires a right hand at Shane del Rosario at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Stipe Miocic lands an elbow on Shane del Rosario at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Shane del Rosario with a huge cut on his eyebrow at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Lavar Johnson readies to fight Stefan Struve at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Stefan Struve readies for an armbar at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Lavar Johnson winces as he is armbarred by Stefan Struve at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Lavar Johnson is saved by Yves Lavigne at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Stefan Struve is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Diego Brandao tries to ground and pound Darren Elkins at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Darren Elkins lands on Diego Brando inside at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Darren Elkins continues to work from mount at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Darren Elkins smiles after winning at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Darren Elkins is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jamie Varner lands a hard right hand on Edson Barboza at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jamie Varner follows up on a hurt Edson Barboza at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jamie Varner celebrates after winning at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Edson Barboza protests about the referee stoppage at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jamie Varner is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy readies for Duane Ludwig at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy waves on UFC announcer Bruce Buffer at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy lands a right elbow on Duane Ludwig at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy lands a left hook on Duane Ludwig at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy follows up on a hurt Duane Ludwig at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy elbows a prostrate Duane Ludwig at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy celebrates his victory at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy kisses the ground after winning at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Dan Hardy is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Duane Ludwig walks to back of the arena at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jason Miller spits at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jason 'Mayhem' Miller gets controlled by C.B. Dollaway at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jason Miller eats an uppercut from C.B. Dollaway at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jason Miller tries to stand up from a takedown at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos C.B. Dollaway finishes the round on top at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos C.B. Dollaway is declared the winner at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Jason Miller takes a breath after his loss to C.B. Dollaway at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Paul Sass works an oma plata at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Paul Sass celebrates after submitting Jacob Volkmann at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Paul Sass celebrates after submitting Jacob Volkmann at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Glover Teixeira after winning at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Glover Teixeira submits Kyle Kingsbury at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Glover Teixeira elbows Kyle Kingsbury at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Mike Brown readies himself for Daniel Pineda at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Mike Brown works on top against Daniel Pineda at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Mike Brown eats a left hook at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Darren Elkins works from mount at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Daniel Pineda takes Mike Brown's back at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Mike Brown is declared the victor at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos Arianny Celeste carries a round card at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.
• UFC 146 Photos A shot of the crowd at UFC 146 in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 26, 2012.