Kevin Lee is clearly ready for another run in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Fighting in his opponent’s home territory at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, Lee (17-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) knocked previously unbeaten Gregor Gillespie cold with a vicious head kick. The time of the knockout in the main-card opener was 2:47 of the opening round.

“I needed to make (a statement) tonight,” Lee said. “Coming in here, my back was against the wall, I was taking on the most decorated wrestler in the division, I needed to put on a show.”

Lee, a former interim lightweight title challenger, was coming back down to 155 after a one-fight stint at welterweight, and he seemed no worse for wear after all his changes. The fight seemed to be contested at a feeling-out pace until Gillespie (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) whiffed with a left hand, which prompted Lee to land a solid right to the temple.

Gillespie barely knew what hit him when Lee followed up with a perfectly-placed left kick to the face, which knocked Gillespie cold. It took a minute or two for the Long Island native to come around.

The victory was Lee’s second in his past four fights and his 11th career finish.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 244 results include:

• Kevin Lee def. Gregor Gillespie via KO (head kick) — Round 1, 2:47
• Corey Anderson def. Johnny Walker via (TKO) punches – Round 1, 2:07
• Shane Burgos def. Makwan Amirkhani via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:42
• Edmen Shahbazyan def. Brad Tavares via knockout (punches – Round 1, 2:27
• Jair Rozenstruik def. Andrei Arlovski via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 0:29
• Katlyn Chookagian def. Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lyman Good def. Chance Rencountre via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:03
• Hakeem Dawodu def. Julio Arce via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)