On a night filled with fantastic finishes, unbeaten welterweight Michael Morales stole the show and stamped himself a future star

LAS VEGAS -- UFC Vegas 96 was one of the most compelling and entertaining Fight Nights the UFC has put on in a while. New stars may well have been born. There were fierce battles and violent finishes up-and-down the card, up to and including the main event.

But when the 11 fights were over, one name stood above the rest: Michael Morales, a 25-year-old welterweight from Ecuador who knocked out Neil Magny at 4:39 of the first round Saturday at Apex  in a star-making, eye-opening performance.

Morales was not alone on this night, though. There were stand-out performances by newcomers, rising young talents and veterans of the sport who hung on to fight another day.

The show kicked off with a bang. A one-two, the most simple and basic combination in the sport, by Wang Cong delivered fireworks just 62 seconds into the card, and the fun never ended. In the waning seconds of a compelling main event, Caio Borralho dropped Jared  Cannonier and nearly finished him in their Fight of the Night battle. Borralho won a unanimous decision by scores of 49-46 twice and 48-47, stamping himself as a legitimate contender in the middleweight division. He's well-rounded, he's smart and he proved his toughness against the gritty Cannonier, who eventually wilted toward the end in the face of Borralho's relentless pressure.

Normally, when the winner of the main event performs as or better-than-expected, that's the best story of the night.

And while Borralho showed himself to be of championship timber, he was just one of many stand-outs on this night.

The show opened with Cong, a 32-year-old Chinese woman who earned a contract on the Road to the UFC, viciously blasting Victoria Leonardo In just 1:02. Anyone who says the Chinese are dull and lifeless automatons has never met Cong, who arrived at the weigh-Friday with her face painted like 'The Joker,' signifying that she wasn't just another UFC rookie.

She brought with her a big reputation as a kickboxer, with a 2015 win over former UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko in that sport validating her reputation. And on Saturday, she vowed to beat Shevchenko in MMA after disposing of Leonardo with a jab and a right hand behind it that landed perfectly on the chin. After the right landed, Cong coolly walked away, not bothering to admire her work.

She injects much-needed life and talent into what has become an increasingly state women's half of the sport.

Then there was Slava Borschev, who escaped with a split-decision victory over James Llontop in a pitched lightweight battle. Two bouts later, Francis Marshall bested Dennis Buzukja in another back-and-forth  The main card opener had a surprise, as veteran Gerald Meerschaert rallied for an unexpected submission via arm triangle.

Edmen Shahbazyan hurt Meerschaert with a body shot and then kneed him in the head as Meerschaert was going to shoot. Meerschaert was down and Shahbazyan pounced. He was pounding Meerschaert with elbows and hammer fists and no one would have blamed referee Mark Smith had he chosen to halt the carnage.

Meerschaert is a veteran, and he was doing his best to move his head and defend himself. Smith gave him a chance and Meerschaert took advantage, rolling over and getting Shahbazyan in an arm triangle.

Further down the main card, Mairon Santos won the featherweight tournament of Season 32 of 'The Ultimate Fighter' with a blistering left hook that face-planted Kaan Ofli. 

But it was Morales who stole the show. Finishing Magny is a feat in and of itself, and he did it by catching Magny with a spinning elbow and then finishing him with brutal ground-and-pound. 

It caught the attention of Dana White, the UFC CEO and president who was giddy after that knockout.

"What more can you say about Michael Morales, other than HOLY SHIT?" White said. "He is 25 years old with a 17-0 record and he comes in tonight and finished Neil Magny in the first round. Magny has 40 professional fights and is one of those guys who has fought everyone and makes every fight difficult. And Morales made it look easy.

"I told the guys I want to get in the room on Tuesday and figure out what's next for him, but I can tell you this much: This kid is special and I expect he'll be ranked in the Top 10."

Last week at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, fellow welterweight Carlos Prates made a similar star turn with a knockout of Li Jingliang. A match between Prates and Morales would be an incredible way to introduce both of them to the wider audience.

"It wasn't the strategy, but I wanted to do it, obviously," Morales said of finishing Magny in the first round. "I think that moment, especially when we're talking about the elbow, it was kind of in the flow. Basically, I had the opportunity. I turned around. I hit him and as soon has he fell the ground and it was a knockdown, it was right in front of my corner."

He hardly needed his corner's help as he overpowered one of the UFC's most respected veterans. Magny, who fell to 29-11, hadn't been stopped in the first round since 2016, when he was beaten by Lorenz Larkin.

"He's got a lot of credentials in the Octagon and they speak for themselves," Morales said. "I respect him as a fighter."

His peers will have to show him plenty of respect going forward, as he's earned that. He's a guy you're going to see in big fights, and soon.