For nearly three full rounds, Edson Barboza battered Dan Hooker to the face, the legs and the body.

And somehow Hooker (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) stood there, absorbing it all in an almost inhuman display of toughness and resilience, until one final body shot from Barboza (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) finally crumpled him for good, bringing an end to the fight at the 2:19 mark of Round 3.

The lightweight bout was the co-main event of today’s UFC on FOX 31 show at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. It aired on FOX following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Early on in this fight it became clear that, as is so often the case, Barboza’s leg kicks would be a major factor. After wobbling Hooker with a straight right midway through the round, Barboza unloaded to Hooker’s thighs, leaving him wincing and limping by the end of the opening frame.

Hooker, however, wasn’t about to give up easily. As Barboza’s pace began to slow in the second, Hooker pressed forward, taking advantage of some tactical errors by Barboza to get the fight to the mat and earn himself some needed rest in top position.

But once Barboza got back to his feet, he was as dangerous as ever. Slamming Hooker with punches to the head and body, shredding his legs and his ribs with kicks, Barboza took complete control of the fight, with Hooker somehow absorbing it all and still coming forward.

With deep bruising on his legs and a dent in his cheek, Hooker staggered forward in the third, only to be met with relentless abuse from Barboza, who piled on body shots even as Hooker refused to give in.

Finally, with Hooker’s offensive output reduced to nothing and the damage reaching truly troubling levels, a short hook to the body from Barboza dropped Hooker to his knees, prompting referee Rob Hinds to step in and wave the fight off at last. Thus ended a staggering display of toughness from Hooker, and not a moment too soon.

With the win, Barboza snaps a two-fight losing streak. Hooker’s loss brings a four-fight winning streak to an end.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 31 results:

• Edson Barboza def. Dan Hooker via knockout (strikes) – Round 3, 2:19
• Rob Font def. Sergio Pettis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Charles Oliveira def. Jim Miller via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:15
• Zak Ottow def. Dwight Grant via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Drakkar Klose def. Bobby Green via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Joaquim Silva def. Jared Gordon via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 2:39
• Jack Hermansson def. Gerald Meerschaert via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 4:25
• Zak Cummings def. Trevor Smith via unanimous-decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Dan Ige def. Jordan Griffin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Mike Rodriguez def. Adam Milstead via knockout (strikes) – Round 1, 2:59
• Juan Adams def. Chris De La Rocha via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 0:58

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 31, visit the UFC Eventssection of the site.