LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 5 - Joe Stevenson (Pictures) and Melvin Guillard (Pictures) traded barbs in the weeks leading up to their lightweight contender bout but it was Stevenson who sunk the last dagger when he choked Guillard out in just 27 seconds.

Stevenson got the upper hand right off the bat, buckling Guillard with a jab in the initial exchange. Guillard reacted by shooting at the legs of the charging Stevenson but he left his neck exposed. "Daddy" didn't miss the opportunity and sank the fight-ending guillotine choke.

The war of words ended with the choke as well. Both fighters were gracious after the bout, apologizing to each other. Stevenson had a few compliments for his fallen foe as well.

"I was nervous with his athletic ability and his explosiveness," Stevenson declared. "It could have went just as quick the other way. Melvin is dangerous. He deserved this, and I'm happy the way the fight turned out."

Late replacement Justin McCully (Pictures), making his UFC debut, knew he had his hands full with talented Dutch striker Antoni Hardonk (Pictures). Wary of Hardonk's striking game, McCully repeatedly took the fight to the ground where he worked his ground and pound game to perfection.

Hardonk's best chance came late in the first when he locked up an armbar that had McCully wincing and struggling to hang on. McCully, much to Hardonk's dismay, made it to the end of the round and proceeded to control the final two frames of the heavyweight tilt en route to a unanimous decision (30-27 on all three cards).

"Big show calls, you gotta go," said McCully of the short notice. "I've been waiting 10 years to make my debut here in the UFC."

"Antoni Hardonk (Pictures), hell of a puncher. [He] almost had me out on my feet a couple times," McCully continued. "At Team punishment, we train hard. Even on three weeks notice, I'm going to come in here and beat a great fighter, because of how hard we train and the camp that we have."

Kenny Florian (Pictures) made a statement in his match with Japanese veteran Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures). Florian was impressive and aside from a close call - a near Mishima kneebar midway through the third period - had his way with his experienced foe.

Florian was impressive with a number of stinging leg kicks that had Mishima hobbling by the second frame. He also capitalized on his size advantage by pushing his smaller opponent around throughout the scrap.

Mishima never relented and his determination nearly paid off when he sucked up a Florian knee off a scramble and extended it.

"I was close [to tapping]," said Florian in noting the precariousness of the situation. "I was waiting for my knee to basically touch my ass … and then I was going to tap. I thought about it for a second, but I trained way too hard for this. I'm not going to tap just like that. He's going to really have to break my leg. I'm a little crazy like that."

Florian did successfully defend the kneebar and once free, he continued his dismantling of the fading Mishima. After taking a flurry of punches, Mishima gave up his back. It took only seconds for Florian to sink the deciding rear-naked choke at 3:57 of the third round.

Wilson Gouviea continued his winning ways with a submission victory over Seth Petruzelli (Pictures) in the second round of their scheduled three-rounder. Gouviea took the first round on the Sherdog.com scorecard before sinking a guillotine choke just 39 seconds into the second stanza.

In the fight of the night, Drew Fickett (Pictures) overcame a trio of illegal downward elbow strikes in the second round to earn a unanimous decision over Keita Nakamura (Pictures). Fickett started strong taking the opening frame, carving a big cut over Nakamura's left eye with an elbow from the bottom, but was on the ropes when "K-Taro" opened up in the second round.

Nakamura was on his way to a stoppage when, off a scramble, he landed the illegal blows. A dazed Fickett may have embellished a bit but was well within his rights taking the full five-minute recovery period.

With a point in his pocket and his wind back, Fickett turned back the Nakamura charge in the second and eventually dominated the third to garner the unanimous decision victory (30-26, 29-27 and 29-27).

Kuniyoshi Hironaka (Pictures) earned is first UFC win after a hard-fought battle with the always-tough Forrest Petz (Pictures). Hironaka fought a lot of the match from side-control and did considerable damage in the first and third rounds.

Petz had his moments, sweeping Hironaka a number of times, but was unable to inflict much damage and that would cost him on the judge's cards, which read 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28, all in favor of Hironaka.

Roan Carneiro (Pictures) won a slow-paced showdown with Rich Clementi (Pictures) in his UFC debut. The bout saw Carneiro control Clementi, taking him down at will, and neutralizing his entire offensive game. Carneiro deserved the unanimous decision (30-27 on all three cards) but it was far from spectacular.

Thiago Tavares (Pictures) ground out a three-round decision over a game Naoyuki Kotani (Pictures). Tavares, a highly touted prospect, clearly won every round but was far from impressive.

Though he was tentative, the promising youngster showed flashes of the talent that has earned him his reputation. The unanimous decision (30-27 on all three cards) along with his undefeated record will get him an encore with the UFC.