Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia breathed a bit of life into his career, as he stopped Jason Riley on first-round strikes in the Adrenaline MMA 4 main event on Friday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The end came 2:32 into round one.

Sylvia, who landed 21 of his first 23 strikes according to CompuStrike figures, dropped Riley with a looping left hand and pounced on the fallen North American Allied Fight Series heavyweight champion for the finish. A few heavy hammerfists later and Sylvia had put the breaks on his troubling three-fight losing streak.

Still wielding heavy hands, Sylvia set the tone early when he buckled Riley with a right and flurried from the clinch, as he landed knees and punches to the body. The blows softened up Riley, a 28-year-old Ohioan, for the kill, which came soon after.

Sylvia was not the only UFC veteran to answer the must-win bell.

Houston Alexander wrecked 42-year-old Sherman Pendergarst with a series of nasty leg kicks, as he put away the Miletich Fighting Systems journeyman in less than two minutes and halted a three-fight skid of his own.

Alexander finished Pendergarst with a knee to the body from the clinch and follow-up punches, but the leg kicks he landed took an intolerable toll on his fading foe. Pendergarst has now lost eight of his last nine fights, including five in a row.

Meanwhile, Forrest Petz made quick work of former X-1 welterweight champion Chad Reiner, as he dropped him with an overhand right behind the ear and finished him off with six unanswered punches on the ground.

Based out of the Strong Style Fight Team in Cleveland, Petz found a home for his right hand early and never relented. Reiner had some productive moments in the clinch but failed to sustain a meaningful offensive attack. At one point, he resorted to pulling guard after one of Petz’s right hands landed. Reiner did not enjoy much success on the ground, either.

Reiner, who started his professional career with 12 consecutive victories, has dropped three of his last four fights.

Finally, Joe Vedepo wowed the crowd with a stunning 14-second knockout against Alexander’s overmatched Team Doyle teammate, Webster Farris.

The two men engaged in the center of the cage, and Vedepo landed a short right hand that left Farris unconscious and facedown on the canvas. Based out of Team I-Core, Vedepo entered the match reeling, fresh off back-to-back UFC losses to Rob Kimmons and Alessio Sakara. All seemed forgotten as he circled the cage in celebration.

Other Bouts
Jeremy Lang def. Matt Delanoit – Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Alonzo Martinez def. Ryan Williams – Unanimous Decision (29-28 all)
Jimmy Seipel def. Bob Tuttle – Tapout (Rear-Naked Choke) 2:59 R1