TUF 23 Fight Pass prelims: Lee, Jingliang record 1st-round KOs

Lightweight Bout: Kevin Lee def. Jake Matthews via 1st-round KO

Kevin Lee reminded everyone why he's one to watch in the lightweight division by running through fellow prospect Jake Matthews.

Outstanding wrestling carried Lee to a win as he asserted himself early and often, keeping Matthews from establishing any sort of rhythm. He executed a perfectly timed takedown, then took Matthews back.

From there, he unleashed a torrent of punches that forced the stoppage at the 4:06 mark of Round 1.

"The Motown Phenom" lost some of his luster when he was upset by Leonard Santos last December, but he's rebounded with two straight wins. Just 23 years old, his record now stands at 6-2 inside the Octagon.

On the other side, Matthews loses for the second time in his brief UFC career, both by way of stoppage.

Postfight, Lee called for a rematch with Al Iaquinta for UFC 205 in New York. However, Iaquinta is expected to face Thiago Alves later this year.

Welterweight Bout: Li Jingliang def. Anton Zafir via 1st-round KO

Li Jingliang kicked off the "Ultimate Fighter 23" Fight Pass preliminaries with a bang Friday.

Showing off some fantastic counter-wrestling, Jingliang overpowered Anton Zafir before tripping him to the mat and shutting him down with ground-and-pound in under three minutes.

It was the third UFC win for Jingliang who has alternated wins and losses since joining the promotion in 2014.

Zafir had his moments early on, scoring a pair of takedowns, but Jingliang simply muscled his way back up. He then responded with a takedown of his own that led to the finishing sequence.

In two UFC appearances, Zafir has lost by first-round knockout both times.