HONOLULU, Hawaii - Not even a post-fight scuffle could ruin the moment for KJ Noons who retained the EliteXC lightweight title with a 48-second, first-round TKO over Yves Edwards Saturday (June 14) at the Blaisdell Arena here.

In the co-feature on a card billed as "Return of the King,'' Nick Diaz registered a third-round TKO over Muhsin Corbbrey.

The victories by Noons, who was raised in Kailua Kona until he was 16, and Diaz sets up what could be a rematch, but a return bout can't come soon enough for the fighters' volatile camp members, who nearly came to blows in the cage after the main event. The fracas caught most everyone off guard.

"I'm not sure what happened or who started what, but I feel bad for Yves, a class act who trained really hard for this fight,'' Noons said. "Nick has no class, he's a bum, a piece of (expletive) and he and his team disrespected my family and I with their gestures and trash talk and tried to upstage our fight."

"I'm the champion and have the EliteXC belt. I'll fight anybody. I didn't see his fight but if they say Nick deserves a rematch, then we can fight and I'll beat him again - if he can make 160 pounds.''

Noons captured the first-ever EliteXC lightweight belt with an upset TKO victory over Diaz during EliteXC's fight card on Nov. 10, 2007, on SHOWTIME.  "I hope they make the fight with Diaz right here at the Blaisdell, but wherever it is, I will be ready,'' Noons said.

Offered Diaz, who weighed in at 169 pounds a day earlier: "I'm sorry about what happened in the cage afterward, but I didn't start it. His guys were talking (expletive) to us.''

THE FIGHTS
 As far as homecomings go, it doesn't get better than this for Noons, who gave the hometown fans what they came to see: a knockout win.

Fighting in the same arena his father did 30 years ago, Noons (6-1), of San Diego, Calif., landed a straight right hand that dropped Edwards (34-14-1), of Coconut Creek, Fla., on the seat of his pants. Noons quickly pounced on the veteran, who had a three-fight winning streak end, landed upwards of 16 unanswered punches, most of which connected, and that was that.

"Yves caught me, rocked me," said Noons, who also is a professional boxer. "But once I knocked him down, I knew I had to go in and finish it.''

After a close, competitive first-round, Diaz (17-7) of Stockton, Calif., mostly had his way against Corbbrey (7-3) of Hilton Head, S.C. He was on top and had landed about 17 unanswered punches, many of which landed, before the referee stepped in and halted matters at 3:59 of the third.

"I wasn't exactly thrilled with my fight; in fact, I am pretty disappointed,'' said southpaw Diaz, who suffered a cut around his left eye. "This was one of my worst fights. I felt slow. I hated coming in that heavy. I worked very hard to cut the weight, but it just wouldn't come off. I will and can still make 160 pounds and will fight KJ any time, any place. I'll fight anybody in the world who thinks they are better than me or who is considered better than me.''
Despite a leap in class, Corbbrey did not appear intimidated or in awe of the world-class Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt. Diaz was just too big.

"Please, powers of be, let me fight Diaz again, but only when we weigh the same,'' Corbbrey said. "I have no problem with the stoppage and I know I agreed to the fight, but he must have weighed 200 pounds. He out-fought me and I respect him for that, but he wore me out when he leaned on me.''