Kyle Daukaus is back, returning to the UFC for the first time in three years and making a statement in a big way as he stops Michel Pereira during the UFC Shanghai prelims.

Less than a minute into the bout, Daukaus landed a right hand that knocked Pereira down. Daukaus followed Pereira to the mat and started to land some ground-and-pound.

Kyle Daukaus Returns To UFC For First Time In Three Years, Scores Sub-Minute TKO Of Michel Pereira At UFC Shanghai

Daukaus went 2-4 (1 NC) with the UFC between 2020 and 2022, including losses to Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze, as well as a no-contest in a fight with Kevin Holland. Since his initial UFC release, Daukaus had won four straight, claiming the CFFC middleweight title and defending it twice.

Pereira has now lost three straight, getting stopped by Anthony Hernandez last October and dropping a decision to Abus Magomedov at UFC Kansas City in April.