Li Jingliang KOed his opponent with a stunning looping left hook, then said he was relieved as he half expected to lose by knockout himself

• Li Jingliang scored a stunning first-round knockout Saturday at the Etihad Arena on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
• The Chinese mixed martial artist had been timing his looping left hand all fight long by throwing or feinting the right first, and finally foiled Santiago Ponzinibbio with 35 seconds left in the opening round.
• Jingliang said after the win that he was relieved to get the victory as he half-expected to lose by knockout — such is Ponzinibbio's power.
• Watch the finish below.

FIGHT ISLAND - Li Jingliang said he was glad to stun his UFC opponent Santiago Ponzinibbio with a looping left hook knockout, because he half-expected to lose by KO himself.

"I really expected to either knock him out in the first round or Santiago knocking me out because he is such a powerful fighter," Jingliang said in a statement sent to Insider.

The Chinese mixed martial artist, nicknamed The Leech, rebounded from a decision loss to Neil Magny at UFC 248 in March last year by besting Ponzinibbio in under five minutes during their 170-pound match Saturday evening.

Jingliang had been timing the left hand all fight long by throwing or feinting the right, and finally foiled the Argentine with 35 seconds remaining in the opening round.

Watch the finish right here:

—UFC (@ufc) January 16, 2021

"I would've actually preferred to go all three rounds to show off more of my skillset but it feels great," said Jingliang after the 18th win of his career, which came inside the newly-built Etihad Arena on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

"Santiago is such an aggressive, intense fighter, and we were prepared for him. The coach told me as soon as the fight began to match his level of intensity, to not back down.

"I just want to go home now, let my family know that I'm safe because that's what they are most concerned about. I'm really looking forward to just being home and enjoying it there."

With the win, Jingliang advanced his pro MMA record to 18 wins (nine knockouts, four submissions, and five decisions) against six losses.

Elsewhere on the card, Max Holloway destroyed Calvin Kattar so badly in the main event that the UFC boss Dana White ordered Kattar to go to a local hospital, where his head was stapled.

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