Frankie Edgar Wrecks Cub Swanson in Main Event, Executes Latest Finish in UFC History

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Frankie Edgar could do no wrong.

Edgar submitted Cub Swanson with a fifth-round neck crank in the UFC Fight Night “Edgar vs. Swanson” headliner on Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. Having been beaten to a bloody pulp for the better part of 25 minutes, Swanson (21-6, 6-2 UFC) conceded defeat 4:56 into round five. It was the latest finish in the 21-year history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

“The Answer” had all the answers. Edgar struck for takedowns in all five rounds and shredded the Jackson-Wink MMA rep with wicked, elbow-laced ground-and-pound. Forced into survival mode, Swanson became less and less of a factor. Edgar achieved full mount three times in the fourth round and twice more in the fifth, drowning the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with punches, elbows and submission attempts. In the closing seconds of round five, Edgar moved to the back and cinched the choke for the historic tapout.

Edgar (18-4-1, 12-4-1 UFC) has rattled off three consecutive victories since he failed in his bid to unseat featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

Related: UFC Fight Night Play-by-Play

Barboza Downs Surging Green

In the lightweight co-main event, former Ring of Combat champion Edson Barboza executed his game plan to near-perfection in claiming a unanimous verdict against Bobby Green. Barboza (15-2, 9-2 UFC) earned 30-27 scores from all three judges, as he won for the fifth time in six fights.

Green (23-6, 4-1 UFC) had no answer for the Brazilian’s incessant lateral movement; and his frustration grew over the course of the 15-minute encounter. Barboza blasted away with his trademark leg kicks, while also attacking the body and head. The 28-year-old did his best work in the second round, where he staggered Green with a right hand to the temple and briefly put him on all-fours with a subsequent spinning heel kick.

Though Barboza’s output waned in the third round, Green did not have enough firepower to bring about the finish he needed. With that, the former two-division King of the Cage champion’s string of eight straight wins came to an end.

Camus Upends ‘One Punch’ Pickett

Quick hands and quick feet spurred Roufusport’s Chico Camus to a split decision over Brad Pickett in a three-round showcase at 125 pounds. Two of the three cageside judges sided with Camus by identical 29-28 scores; a third cast a dissenting 30-27 nod in favor of Pickett.

Pickett (24-10, 4-5 UFC) struck for a takedown inside the first round and slashed away at the Milwaukee native with elbows from the top, opening multiple cuts. Camus (15-5, 4-2 UFC) was not dissuaded and refused to be corralled on the mat again. He peppered Pickett with punching combinations and kept himself upright with stellar takedown defense. Camus’ pace slowed and his output dwindled in the latter stages of the match, but he landed with superior accuracy and did enough to pull off the upset against the established American Top Team veteran in his debut at 125 pounds.

Oleinik KOs Rosholt, Wins 11th Straight

Alexey Oleinik knocked out three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Jared Rosholt with a winging left hook and follow-up hammerfists in the first-round of their featured heavyweight clash. Oleinik (50-9-1, 2-0 UFC) finished it 3:21 into round one, as he recorded his 11th straight victory.

Rosholt (11-2, 3-1 UFC) blitzed the Russian submission specialist with power punches inside the first minute, bullied his way into clinch range and battered the 37-year-old with uppercuts, elbows and savage hooks to the body. It was not enough. Oleinik fought back, fired his hands with reckless abandon and connected on the Team Takedown export’s chin. Rosholt collapsed to the canvas in a dazed and defenseless state, as “The Boa Constrictor” rendered him unconscious with two crushing hammerfists.

The defeat halted Rosholt’s winning streak at seven.

Benavidez Outmatches Game Ortiz

Team Alpha Male standout Joseph Benavidez won for the fifth time in six appearances, as he took a unanimous verdict from Dustin Ortiz in a flyweight showcase. Benavidez (21-4, 8-2 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 30-27 marks.

Ortiz’s chin withstood a number of concussive shots, but the Roufusport rep could not muster enough offense of his own to alter the direction of the fight. Benavidez overwhelmed the Tennessee native with speed, technique, power and variety. A chopping right hand was his weapon of choice, and he landed it repeatedly, along with kicks to the body and head. Ortiz (14-4, 3-2 UFC) never went away but lacked the tools necessary to turn the tide in his favor.

Returning Wiman Sinks Vallie-Flagg

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 graduate Matt Wiman made a triumphant return from close to a two-year layoff, as he pocketed a unanimous decision against Isaac Vallie-Flagg in a featured scrap at 155 pounds. All three cageside judges scored it for Wiman (16-7, 10-5 UFC): 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.

The two lightweights spent a majority of their encounter trading barbs in the clinch. Standing elbows, knees and short punches flew from both sides. However, the opportunistic and cagy Wiman moved to the Jackson-Wink MMA representative’s back in all three rounds, countering takedowns by transitioning to his back along the fence. Those scrambles proved costly for Vallie-Flagg (14-6-1, 1-3 UFC), who finds himself on a three-fight losing streak inside one of the UFC’s deepest divisions.