The Nigerian nightmare, 33, dropped his American opponent, 36,  at 1 minute, 2 seconds of the second round of their fight in Jacksonville, Florida, to retain UFC welterweight title.

It was the first time Masvidal has been finished by KO/TKO since 2008.

After the fight, Usman said: 'Y'all said you wanted violence, you're welcome. First and foremost, no disrespect, thanks to Jorge. You elevated me and it's been a while since I've been nervous for a fight but I had to go to the workshop and bring all my tools for this fight.

'I am still getting better all the time and this fight proves it. Coach kept yelling at me to stay with the fundamentals and that's it. I know I am the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet right now with these fundamentals.'  

Masvidal added in defeat: 'I've never been knocked out in 50 pro fights and Usman brought something he didn't show in the first fight.

'That's what happens when you get overconfident and he won this fair and square.' 

Usman's 14-fight win streak is now the second-longest in UFC history, behind only Anderson Silva's 16-fight win streak between 2006 and 2012.