The most talked-about lightweight battle in Ultimate Fighting Championship history has a finish that will be equally talked about.

With the 155-pound championship on the line at UFC 84: Ill Will on Saturday night at MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, champion BJ Penn (14-4-1) landed a spectacular flying knee and followed it up with a vicious barrage of blows on the ground to lay out former lightweight champion Sean Sherk (35-3-1). Penn's flurry came in the final 10 seconds of the third round, and though Sherk was saved by the bell, he was unable to continue and the match was stopped.

"Very satisfying," said Penn in an in-ring interview following the bout.

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BJ Penn got the better of Sean Sherk at UFC 84 on Saturday in Las Vegas

The name of the pay-per-view - Ill Will - was appropriate, as there were hard feelings between the two coming into the pay-per-view. Penn repeatedly criticized Sherk, who was stripped of the lightweight title in December 2007 after testing positive for steroids. Following the match, however, Penn inferred that much of what he said was merely to help sell the bout.

"I shake his hand after the fight," said Penn, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and former UFC welterweight champion.

The entire first round took place standing up, with Penn's jabs opening a small cut under Sherk's right eye. The second round was more of the same. Though Sherk was able to land a few shots, he took the worst of the exchanges; between rounds, Sherk's corner worked on cuts under both eyes while Penn looked like he had barely been in a fight.

Sherk, a wrestling and submission specialist, attempted just one takedown the entire match. Asked afterwards if the stoppage was premature, he said he couldn't say.

"I didn't even hear the bell ring," he said.

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