Watch: Nunes crushes Rousey's comeback with 48-second TKO

Amanda Nunes wasn't going to let anything get in the way of her championship reign, even the return of Ronda Rousey.

The women's bantamweight champion successfully defended her belt with a ferocious 48-second knockout of Rousey in Friday's main event of UFC 207 in Las Vegas.

It was a brilliant performance by "The Lioness," a fighter who had been neglected by the UFC marketing team in the leadup to Rousey's big comeback. Rousey was making a much-anticipated walk to the Octagon for the first time since losing to Holly Holm in November 2015.

In a battle between two of MMA's fastest finishers, it was Nunes who struck first. She connected with a blistering striking combination that backed Rousey up and never relented from there. Every punch that Nunes threw seemed to land square on Rousey's chin, and as the onslaught was unleashed, referee Herb Dean had no choice but to jump in and save a staggered Rousey from further punishment.

Nunes won for the fifth straight time inside the Octagon, the longest current streak among women's bantamweights. She also broke a tie with Rousey for the most knockout wins in division history. Her UFC record stands at 7-1.

For Rousey, it was a crushing disappointment given the aura of invincibility she once held. After suffering the first setback of her pro fighting career at the hands of Holm, questions swirled around how she'd perform in her comeback.

A 13-month break appeared to do the former champion no favors, and she walked out of the cage without a title, and with plenty of doubt surrounding her future.