Rinat Fakhretdinov makes Kevin Lee submit with nasty guillotine in just 55 seconds at UFC Vegas 76 | Watch video

At the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, Kevin Lee’s much anticipated UFC comeback lasted 55 seconds.

Lee (19-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) was downed and submitted by Rinat Fakhretdinov (22-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 47 in his first promotional appearance in nearly two years. The guillotine choke was used to stop the technical submission.

In the first few seconds, Fakhretdinov’s right hand knocked Lee to the ground. Fakhretdinov seized a guillotine and began to crank as Lee attempted to stand up again. Referee Herb Dean examined Fakhretdinov’s limbs while Lee’s hands were still bound around him and discovered that he was unconscious. Lee was left on the ground with his face down as the fight was interrupted.

With a 17-match winning streak, Fakhretdinov, 31, has become a dark horse in the welterweight division of the UFC. Bryan Battle and Andreas Michailidis both achieved UFC victories. With the victory over Lee by submission in the first round, Fakhretdinov improved to 3-0 overall in the UFC.

After making a one-off appearance with Eagle FC in which he defeated Diego Sanchez by a unanimous decision, Lee, 30, returned to the promotion in February. Lee sustained damage to his left knee.

“You have to remember, we are the new generation,” Fakhretdinov said afterward. “I have nothing but respect for Kevin Lee. He’s a great fighter.

“Who was over there and said I had boring fights? What do you have to say now? I can punch, I can wrestle. If I have to knock somebody out, that’s what I’ll do.”