Wanderlei Silva knocked out Keith Jardine to end a three-fight losing streak.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lightweight champion B.J. (The Prodigy) Penn stopped Sean (The Muscle Shark) Sherk at UFC 84 on Saturday night when the former title holder was unable to continue after a third round in which he took a beating.

The crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena was solidly behind Penn, booing Sherk as he was introduced in the mixed martial arts main event.

The first round was fought on the feet, with Penn (14-4-1) eventually finding his range and cutting Sherk under the right eye. Sherk, the wrestler, tried for just one takedown early in the round and was stuffed.

Sherk (35-3-1) kept standing in the second and his face got uglier, with a cut under the left eye. Another takedown attempt failed. It was more of the same in the third. Penn failed in a takedown attempt, took a few punches but clinically punched back.

As the round ended, Penn finally drove Sherk back with a pair of punches and then toppled him with a flying knee and punched away until the referee stepped in.

“Very, very satisfying,” said Penn. “Sean Sherk is a great competitor.”

The Hawaiian fighter then asked the fans if they wanted to see him fight welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre of Montreal, drawing huge cheers in return.

The Penn-Sherk fight was a grudge match fought against the backdrop of a positive steroid test last July that cost Sherk his title. Sherk denied cheating, but Penn wasted few opportunities to taunt him as a cheat. And the crowd chanted “Steroids, Steroids” during the bout.

Earlier, Wanderlei (The Axe Murderer) Silva scored a convincing knockout win. Fellow light-heavyweight Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz lost by unanimous decision in what might be his ultimate fighting swansong.