The Ultimate Fighting Championship debuted on the FOX television network tonight with UFC On FOX 1 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The historic event was headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior “Cigano” dos Santos.

Elsewhere, former WEC Lightweight Champion Ben “Smooth” Henderson faced Clay “The Carpenter” Guida in a pivotal lightweight matchup, while Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier took on Pablo “The Scarecrow” Garza in a featherweight bout. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

UFC Heavyweight Championship

Junior “Cigano” dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez

Round 1:
Velasquez opened the fight with a leg kick and dos Santos connected with a hard right cross. Velasquez tried for a takedown and dos Santos stepped free. Both fighters landed hooks and Velasquez continued to score with leg kicks. Dos Santos floored Velasquez with a huge right hook to the temple and followed with punches on the ground. Velasquez rolled to his stomach as dos Santos unloaded with punches and referee John McCarthy called a stop to the fight.

Winner: Junior dos Santos by KO (Punches) at 1:04 of round one. He improves to 14-1-0 and becomes the new UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Ben “Smooth” Henderson vs Clay “The Carpenter” Guida

Round 1:
Guida landed a right hook early on, but Henderson dropped him to a knee with counterpunches. Guida stood and both fighters unloaded with punches. Guida fell again and dove for a leg. Henderson sprawled out and stayed on his feet. He landed short punches and knees in a clinch and Guida answered with two punches of his own.

Guida attempted a takedown and Henderson defended. Both fighters landed looping hooks and Henderson dropped to his knees. Guida tried for a guillotine choke, but Henderson took him down. Guida stood and Henderson landed a knee and a head kick. 10-9 Henderson.

Round 2:
Henderson landed a jumping knee to the body and a looping hook in round two, then reversed a takedown and landed knees. He tried for a guillotine choke and landed a grazing knee as Guida stood. Both fighters landed knees to the body and Guida caught one from Henderson. He took him down, but Henderson quickly returned to his feet.

More knees were exchanged and the fighters separated. Guida missed with a spinning backfist and Henderson wound up on top on the ground. He escaped a guillotine choke and took Guida’s back. Henderson tried for a rear-naked choke, but could not get it. 10-9 Henderson.

Round 3:
Right hooks connected for both fighters in the final round and Henderson landed a leg kick. He attempted an axe kick, but missed. Guida landed a knee to the body and Henderson clinched. Guida caught a knee and rushed Henderson all the way across the cage, but could not get him down. Henderson landed two knees and ducked under a head kick.

Henderson took Guida down and moved to side control. Guida scrambled and Henderson took his back. Guida scrambled up and wound up on top after Henderson fell while throwing a knee. Guida attempted a guillotine choke and nearly got it, but Henderson managed to free himself and teed off with punches to a downed Guida before the bell. 10-9 Henderson.

Winner: Ben Henderson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-2-0.

Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier vs Pablo “The Scarecrow” Garza

Round 1:
Garza circled early on and landed a leg kick. Poirier answered with a head kick that was blocked and the fighters traded punches. Poirier caught a body kick and tripped Garza briefly, then landed punches on the way up. Again, Poirier caught a kick and tripped Garza. On the feet, Poirier landed a quick combination, but Garza took him down. Poirier rolled through and fought off a kneebar.

Inside-leg kicks landed for both fighters and Poirier scored with a combination. He took Garza down with a front headlock and took top position in half-guard. Poirier landed punches and elbows to the head and body, then stood and rained down harder strikes. Garza looked for an armbar and landed short elbows just before the bell. 10-9 Poirier.

Round 2:
Garza missed with a spinning back elbow and fell after throwing a kick. He stood and tried for a takedown, but Poirier sprawled out and wound up on top in half-guard. Poirier punched from the top and secured a Brabo Choke. Garza tried to roll out, but had nowhere to go and quickly tapped out.

Winner: Dustin Poirier by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 1:32 of round two. He improves to 11-1-0.

Ricardo “The Bully” Lamas vs Cub Swanson

Round 1:
Swanson was active with kicks early on and caught one from Lamas. More kicks scored for Swanson, but one struck Lamas in the groin. Time was called and Lamas scored a takedown after the restart. Lamas fought out of a Kimura attempt with punches and elbows. He opened a cut on Swanson’s upper forehead, but Swanson locked on a tight guillotine.

Lamas managed to escape the choke by standing up and missed with a flashy kick. Swanson rocked Lamas with punches, but Lamas recovered and dove for a takedown. Swanson wound up on top in side control and landed knees to the body. He moved to North-South position and tried for a leg scissor choke, but let it go and the fighters traded punches at the bell. 10-9 Swanson.

Round 2:
Swanson landed a right hook in round two, but missed with a wild kick and Lamas made him pay with a pair of kicks to the upper body. Lamas took Swanson down and avoided a gogoplata attempt. Lamas landed elbows and tried to take Swanson’s back as Swanson got to a knee. Lamas dragged Swanson back down and secured a tight arm-triangle choke. Swanson tried to roll out, but could not and was forced to submit.

Winner: Ricardo Lamas by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 2:16 of round two. He improves to 11-2-0.

DaMarques “Darkness” Johnson vs Clay “Heavy Metal” Harvison

Round 1:
The fighters traded punches early on and both landed lead left hooks. Harvison mixed in leg kicks, but Johnson floored him with a huge left hook. When the referee did not immediately stop the fight, Johnson added one more punch on the ground for good measure.

Winner: DaMarques Johnson by KO (Punches) at 1:34 of round one. He improves to 13-9-0.

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)