CAMPO, Calif., Oct. 15 — Jeremy Jackson had been away from the sport of mixed martial arts for 23 months and it showed early as he was sent to the canvas in the opening exchange of his bout with a very game Christian Vargas (Pictures).

After the two men touched gloves Vargas proceeded to knock off a bit of the ring rust Jackson had accumulated while on hiatus with a kick to the UFC veteran’s head.

“The Scorpion” rode out the initial burst from Vargas — who had deposited Jackson back to the mat as quickly as he had stood up from the knockdown — and began to mount his comeback with a nearly secured armbar attempt from the bottom position. After missing on the submission, Jackson made his way back to his feet and scored a takedown of his own only to see Vargas escape back to the standing position.

Jackson then scored a pretty trip takedown from the clinch that landed him in side-control. After a precise elbow, the Team Freedom product advanced to the mount and started to unload. The tough Vargas rolled back and forth trying to avoid the unavoidable — eating punches while mounted and defending the rear-choke when giving up his back.

Vargas committed the fatal mistake when he stood up with Jackson securely latched to his back. In a matter of seconds the rear-naked choke was deeply sunken and there was no choice but for Vargas to submit or go to sleep. He tapped out at 3:56 of the first round, giving Jeremy Jackson the victory in his return to MMA.

“I thought it was a straight right, I wasn’t expecting that,” Jackson said after the fight. “I studied his video — I was looking for a straight right the whole time ‘cause that’s all he threw. So I was watching for that and I guess a kick hit me.

“It actually dazed me a little — but it wasn’t enough, it was just a little.”

Jackson had more to say when asked to critique his performance and where he wants to take his now resurrected career. “It’s awesome cause I was really nervous, I didn’t know how I was going to perform,” he said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be rusty. I didn’t know if I was warmed up enough. I am really glad with the outcome. I would have much rather had a knockout. I wasn’t really planning on a submission but since he caught me at the very beginning, I was kinda dazed, I wanted to recover.”

So where does the future lie for Jeremy Jackson?

“Cage fighting,” he answered. “And I want to fight Robbie Lawler (Pictures) next. I want some of the best strikers out there.”

Eddie Sanchez survived his slugfest with Julian Rush (Pictures) and took home the win when Rush could not continue after a first round that was reminiscent of a Toughman contest.

Both men traded big blows throughout the action-packed round and when the horn sounded after the five minute mark neither man seemed to know where their corner was. After locating their stools it became apparent Rush would not be able to answer the bell and Sanchez notched the victory at 5:00 of the first round.

Alex Garcia (Pictures) won the fighter of the night award after dismantling Jeff Harwell. It was a high-altitude Garcia slam followed by a slew of punches that prodded Harwell’s corner to throw in the towel at 1:30 of the first round.

Veteran fighter Toby Imada (Pictures) made quick work of an overmatched Tim Carey, garnering the victory via rear-naked choke at 2:25 of the first round.

In what was probably the best fight of the evening Brandon Magna got the nod over Colin Oyama pupil Jared Rollins (Pictures) after Magna was on the receiving end of an illegal knee to the head. Magna had already been on the wrong end of a number of strikes, including a vicious elbow from the bottom by Rollins that slashed open a cut outside of Magna’s left eye and nearly ended the fight.

Midway through the second frame, Rollins, much to the dismay of his corner, including Oyama, landed the disqualifying blow as Magna scrambled to his feet. Magna’s hand was clearly on the mat and when he could not continue Rollins was tagged with a loss at 2:57 of round two.

Josh Griggs defeated Ulysses Cortez by rear-naked choke at 1:49 of the first round.

Chris Davis scored a submission win over Daniel Vasquez with a textbook armbar at the one-minute mark of round one.

Patrick Speight took it to Brandon Adams right from the get go. Speight, working from the mount for most of the fight, pounded away on his opponent until the referee mercifully put an end to the affair at 1:24 of the second round.

Brent Stuchlick battered Eber Saulido right from the opening bell until the referee stopped the fight due to strikes at 1:30 of the first stanza.

Corn Zwicker overwhelmed his opponent Tom Hubert with strikes and scored the doctor’s stoppage victory at 1:54 of round two.

Brett Cooper took home a TKO win (strikes) over Cody Culkin (Pictures) at 1:38 of the first round.

Ruben Vera needed just 59 seconds to cinch a fight winning rear-naked choke over Daniel Torres.

Grant Winstorm dueled Ryan Purwick for three rounds of back-and-forth action before taking home the decision win.