UFC 168 results, photos: Travis Browne decimates Josh Barnett with elbows

LAS VEGAS – Travis Browne wanted to send a message to the heavyweight division on Saturday, and he again did so in a big way.

Just one minute into the fight, Browne shut down former heavyweight champion Josh Barnett with massive elbows. It was Browne’s third straight first-round knockout win.

The heavyweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC 168 event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and MMAjunkie.

The two kicked early, and Browne landed a left hook. Barnett got inside and landed a knee to the body against the taller Browne and tried to force the fight up against the cage. But Browne retreated, then fended off a takedown attempt.

Barnett tried to drop low for a takedown after eating a knee, and while holding on to Browne’s legs, he started to absorb elbows to the head. And Browne wouldn’t let up.

With Yves Lavigne looking in closely along the fence, Browne landed several big elbows with Barnett’s head resting on his knee until Lavigne finally stopped it.

“There’s a new breed of fighter, and he’s right here,” said Browne, who likely set up a potential title eliminator fight with Fabricio Werdum with the win. “I’m coming for you. Ear, ear, ear, ear, all day long. It looks like Werdum and I have a date. I’m ready whenever you are, sweetheart.”

Browne (16-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) won for the third straight time after wins over Alistair Overeem and Gabriel Gonzaga. Barnett (33-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) had a two-fight winning streak snapped and was finished for the first time in more than seven years – a PRIDE loss to Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 168 results include:

• Travis Browne def. Josh Barnett via knockout (elbows) – Round 1, 1:00
• Jim Miller def. Fabrício Camoes via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:42
• Dustin Poirier def. Diego Brandao via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:54
• Uriah Hall def. Chris Leben via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
• Michael Johnson def. Gleison Tibau via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:32
• Dennis Siver def. Manvel Gamburyan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• John Howard def. Siyar Bahadurzada via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• William Macario def. Bobby Voelker via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Robbie Peralta def. Estevan Payan via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 0:12

For complete coverage of UFC 168, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan contributed to this report on-site in Las Vegas.