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ENOCH, Alta. - Edmonton welterweight Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford choked out C.J. Fernandes in the first round Friday night to improve to 6-0 at MFC 16: Anger Management at the River Cree Resort and Casino.

The win earned Ford a shot in July at the vacant Maximum Fighting Championship 170-pound title.

Ford took Fernandes down 10 seconds into the mixed martial arts fight and attempted one choke after another. The American fended off three but could not escape a fourth and the fight was stopped two minutes 2:32 seconds into the first round.

Fernandes (14-7-3) trains out of The H.I.T. Squad, former UFC champion Matt Hughes' gym in Granite City, Ill. He retired in 2002 and had only fought twice since then going into Friday night, once in 2005 and once in April.

Last time out, Ford choked out former UFC veteran Pete Spratt.

In the co-main event, heavyweight Chase Gormley won a decision over Eric (Big E) Pele in a dull contest.

The slow fight, contested mainly in the clinch in the corner, drew a smatter of boos from the crowd as the two big Americans failed to excite. Gormley said after he didn't want to trade blow with the heavy-handed Pele so elected to tie him up and fight at close quarters.

Gormley (6-0) was an NAIA all-American wrestler but opted to stay on his feet and outmuscled the 38-year-old Pele. He was the busier in the clinch in the first round but was cut under the eye by a Pele left late in the round. Pele (11-5) was also cut later in the fight.

Gormley, 24, was Pele's third opponent, following Gary (Big Daddy) Goodridge and Wayne Cole.

Pele appeared on the 2005-06 reality TV show "Inked," which focused on the Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company where he worked in Las Vegas. His six-foot-two canvas is a little smaller these days. Once as big as 450 pounds, Pele now fights at 265.

Earlier, American light-heavyweight Aron Lofton (3-0) used a guillotine choke to submit a bloody Jason (The Show) Kuchera at 4:55 of the second round. Kuchera (3-1) was in tough after suffering an ugly gash above the mouth in the first round that leaked blood. The American seemed to have the Edmontonian in a rear naked choke when the referee paused the fight to have Kuchera's cut examined and Lofton lost his advantage when the action was halted and then restarted. Kuchera's lip looked like someone had taken a box cutter to it.

"Damn that was rough," said Lofton.

"He's a tough dude. He's in front of his home crowd. He didn't want to quit."

Welterweight Mike Sorensen (3-1) of Fort McMurray, Alta., choked out Jeremy (Manslaughter) Martin at 1:06 of the second round to spoil the pro debut of the fighter from St. John's. Sorensen survived a bloody nose to dispatch his opponent via guillotine choke. Martin was fined one-quarter of his purse for failing to make the 170-pound weight limit.

Victoria welterweight Gavin Neil (4-0) showed resolve and staying power in taking a split decision from Edmonton's Ryan (The Kid) McGillivray (6-3). McGillivray also failed to make weight and was fined 25 per cent of his purse.

American middleweight Chris Comozzi (8-1) won a lopsided decision over Dwayne Lewis of Fort McMurray, Alta. Lewis (4-4) took his lumps in the fight, his torso showing ugly welts from Comozzi's knees.

American lightweight Benson Henderson (5-1) choked out fellow American Mike Maestas (5-2) at 4:11 of the third round after carving the side of his head open with a flurry of elbows.

American welterweight Matt Veach (7-0) outwrestled Halifax's Matt MacGrath (5-1) to win by decision.