This was the mixed martial arts (MMA) equivalent of tee ball.
Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal advanced to the semifinals of the Rizin Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament with a violent, first-round knockout over Brett McDermott on Tuesday (Dec. 29, 2015) inside Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan (full results here).
Credit to "The Spartan" for his iron chin, but silent jeers for the referee and his hands-off approach to the carnage.
In GIF form:
With the win, Lawal returns for Thursday's (Dec. 31) semifinal match up against Teodoras Aukstuolis, who smoked Bruno Henrique Cappelozza in the first round of their tournament showdown.