EDMONTON - TFC welterweight champion Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford submitted American Tommy (Farm Boy) Speer to win in the first round at TFC 10: High Octane on Friday night.
Ford (12-2) had the best of the action at the Shaw Conference Centre, locking in a choke at four minutes 29 seconds of the first round of The Fight Club mixed martial arts card.
"I knew it was tight. He wasn't getting out," Ford, the local favourite who dedicated the win to his late grandmother, said of the rear naked choke.
Speer (13-5) was a finalist in Season 6 of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality TV show.
In the co-main event, Martin Desilets of Victoriaville, Que., beat TFC light-heavyweight title-holder Victor (The Matrix) Valimaki of Edmonton.
Desilets (10-2) came out like a wild man and was warned for low blows but eventually won after Valimaki (16-6), stunned by a knee, tapped out at 4:50 of the first round following a vicious exchange at the fence.
Valimaki had won his last seven fights.
Earlier, former UFC heavyweight Tim (The Thrashing Machine) Hague was unable to fight after a replacement opponent pulled out at the last minute
"I'm not disappointed, I'm pissed off," Hague told the audience.
Hague, a former kindergarten teacher, was slated to meet American Ed Carpenter, a replacement for the ailing Tyler East.
"He did look a little sick," Hague said of Carpenter. "So if he's sick, he's sick, he can't fight me."
Hague (10-3) was cut by the UFC after his loss to Chris Tuchscherer last month.
Hague exited the UFC with a 1-2 record. The six-foot-four 265-pounder opened with an upset submission win over accomplished kickboxer Pat Barry at UFC 98 before being knocked out in a UFC-record seven seconds by Todd Duffee at UFC 102.
Earlier, former Edmonton Eskimo defensive back Rio (The Quiet Storm) Wells had little trouble stopping journeyman welterweight Tim (Mat Dog) Skidmore of Moncton at 3:33 of the first round.
The 36-year-old Wells (3-0) dominated the 38-year-old Skidmore (3-14), who has now lost six straight.
Lightweight Curtis (The Demon) Demarce (10-7) of Brandon, Man., won a decision over journeyman Mike (Batman) Bell (4-15) of Edmonton.
Edmonton's Mitch Clarke (6-0) choked out welterweight (Primate) MacArthur (5-15) of Cranbrook, B.C., at 1:14 of the second round.
Middleweight Sheldon Westcott (3-1) bull rushed Edmonton's Tim (Shady) Smith (10-5) and stopped him via TKO after just 29 seconds in an all-Edmonton affair.
Welterweight Victor (The Professor) Bachmann (7-2) of Edmonton choked out Markhaile (Showtime) Wedderburn (8-6) of Toronto at 3:28 of the first round.