SAN DIEGO — Diego Sanchez's unbeaten Ultimate Fighting Championship career remained easily intact Wednesday as the welterweight used a devastating right hook-right knee combination to knock out Joe Riggs in front of a packed crowd of servicemen at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.
Sanchez (19-0), trying to become UFC's first unbeaten champion, ended more than a minute of first-round posturing with Riggs (28-9) by landing a right hook that knocked the veteran to the canvas.
As Riggs rose, Sanchez charged him and buried his right knee into Riggs' face. Sanchez then pounced on Riggs and slammed three more right-handed punches toward his opponent's right ear, prompting referee John McCarthy to stop the fight 1 minute 45 seconds into the first round. Riggs had never been knocked out.
"I found that place on the chin early, and it was a good night," Sanchez said.
It was Sanchez's first knockout since April of last year.
Sanchez stands poised for a welterweight title fight in 2007, but champion Georges St. Pierre probably has two bouts to complete before that.
