Mark Coleman, left, and Fedor Emelianenko hit the mat in their Pride Fighting Championships bout on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Emelianenko posted a second-round victory over Coleman. Photo by John Locher. More photos ...

Fedor Emelianenko showed why he is the best mixed martial artist in the world, not only saving an otherwise lackluster card at the Thomas & Mack Center but dominating a game Mark Coleman to retain his heavyweight title.

The Russian opened a nasty gash outside Coleman's left eye, later closed it and then forced a submission at 1:15 of the second round in the main event of the Pride Fighting Championships' debut show in the U.S.

Emelianenko was as good as advertised, showing not only extraordinary punching power but great versatility.

Coleman, a former Olympic wrestler, repeatedly shot in an attempt to get Emelianenko off his feet.

But all he managed to accomplish in the first round was to get his face mangled.

Coleman finally took Emelianenko down, but he paid dearly for it.

Emelianenko managed to grab Coleman's arms with his legs and put him into an armbar, sending the crowd of 11,727 into a frenzy.

"I hadn't fought in a long time, so I wanted to make this (fight) longer," Emelianenko said. "I wanted to feel Mark and see what he was all about. I wanted to use all of my abilities."

Coleman, who will be 42 in December, broke down in tears in the ring following the fight as he embraced his daughters.

A one-time Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder, Coleman said the loss would not deter him.

"I've got a lot of work to do, but I'll be back," Coleman said.

The card was the Japanese company's first in the U.S. and was anticipated not only by the fans but by the fighters who desperately want to see a legitimate rival to the UFC develop.

The pre-fight display was as advertised, an elaborate display of lights and pyrotechnics.

The fights, though, weren't able to match the intensity or the grandeur of the pre-show.

Most were either decidedly one-sided or were drab bouts with little action.

Josh Barnett promised fireworks, but he wasn't able to deliver, though he did win.

Barnett hadn't fought in the U.S. since 2002, when he was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission after testing positive for anabolic steroids.

He made a successful return, forcing Pawel Nastula into submission with an ankle lock at 3:04 of the second round in a bout in which Nastula carried the fight.

Nastula, a judo gold medalist at the 1996 Olympics, had dominated the second round and had nearly knocked Barnett out with a combination that left the former UFC champion woozy along the ropes.

After the fight went to the mat, Barnett, though, reversed things by grabbing Nastula's leg and putting him in the ankle lock.

"Put that in front of me, it's like food," Barnett said. "You're going to get your hand bit."

Las Vegan Kevin Randleman quickly attacked Shogun Rua and paid a steep price.

Rua, a submission expert, took advantage of Randleman's aggressiveness, grabbing a foot and slapping on an ankle lock.

Randleman battled several pain before he was forced to tap out at 2:31 of the first round.

Wanderlei Silva will headline the next Pride card in Las Vegas, on Feb. 24 at the Thomas & Mack Center. No opponent was named, though he called out UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.

That bout was supposed to happen this year, but Pride and UFC couldn't come to terms on the showdown. Liddell also has a fight set on Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand against Tito Ortiz.