Conor McGregor uses unique new move to destroy Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone

It was a short night's work for Conor McGregor in his triumphant return to UFC action, as he beat Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone by way of emphatic knockout after just 40 seconds of the first round.

Conor came flying out of the blocks like a man possessed right after the opening bell, looking to land a huge left hand that Cerrone ducked, before clinching the Irishman in the center of the ring.

It was at this point that Conor debuted a startlingly effective new move that totally blindsided Cowboy Cerrone, leaving his nose badly bloodied and his senses scrambled.

Watch the chaotic brawl that took place after the Conor/Khabib fight:

The move in question was a sharp, stabbing motion with the shoulder of the Crumlin-born fighter. Now, as pundits ringside commented, we have seen shoulders being thrown in the clinch before, but rarely - if ever - with such ferocity and effect.

In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Conor described how he managed to use the shoulder with such effectiveness, stating, "I changed levels with it and come up into it," before adding, "So it's a good shot."

Credit: PA Images

Also in his post-fight interview, Conor made sure to point out that, last night, he had made yet another piece of UFC history;

"We made history here tonight.

"I set another record. I'm the first fighter in UFC history to secure knockout victories at featherweight, at lightweight and now at welterweight. First at three weight divisions. So I'm very, very proud of that."

Credit: PA Images

Remarking on Conor's performance and the unorthodox shoulder shots, Cowboy Cerrone said;

"He caught me straight away, then kicked me … I've not seen anything like it. He busted my nose."

Conor Mcgregor recently starred in a bizarre Russian advert - you can watch it here:

Summing up his night's work, Conor added;

"The UFC, they can strip fighters and give other fighters make-believe belts in order to replicate my champ-champ status.

"But they can't give knockout victories across multiple weight divisions. So there you go again. Making history one more time."

So yes, there are tougher tests to come for a resurgent Conor McGregor, whether he opts to remain at welterweight for now or drop back to to the 155lbs lightweight division. And yes, there are still questions as to whether he can maintain his newfound discipline and sense of calm in training camp. But one thing was made very, very clear last night: Conor McGregor is back, and that is good news for everyone involved.