ENOCH, Alta, -- Former WWE star Bobby Lashley took another step in his fledgling mixed martial arts career on Friday night, submitting Mike (The Animal) Cook in just 24 seconds at "MFC 21: Hard Knocks" at the River Cree Resort and Casino.

Lashley grabbed a guillotine choke from the first contact and quickly submitted underdog Cook. The former NAIA wrestling champion needed to throw just one punch before locking in the submission. A prone Cook, his face down, had no time to offer anything in response.

Lashley, a six-foot-three 249-pounder, was not impressed that Cook (7-4) came out wearing a wrestling mask.

"I'm here for business," Lashley said in the ring. "Everybody comes out here and tries to makes fun of the wrestling thing. I'm real. I'm coming out here to fight. They don't want to fight me, they can play around. If they play around, I'm going to knock them out or choke them out and that's what I did today. Choked him out, make him pay. Now he can go put back on the mask and have fun with himself."

Lashley (3-0) is due to fight veteran Bob Sapp next month.

In the main event, veteran Trevor Prangley won a five-round decision to take the MFC light-heavyweight title away from Emanuel (The Hardcore Kid) Newton. The judges scored it 48-46, 49-46, 49-46 for the South African native.

"The fight was a lot closer than what those scorecards said," said Prangley. "He's a tough dude .... He fought like a true champion."

Prangley (20-5) floored Newton with a right high kick as the fight ended, hurting his foot in the process,

It was a close fight but the 36-year-old Prangley, a former Strikeforce, Bodog and UFC veteran, was slightly more controlled and accurate.

Newton, 25, lost a point for a low knee in the third round when Prangley sustained a cut below the right eye. Prangley also scored in the final round with some nasty kicks.

Newton (11-4-1) had won nine straight coming into the fight.

Earlier, veteran welterweight John (The Natural) Alessio showed his class and experience in choking out Calgary's Andrew Buckland at 2:53 of the first round. Alessio (29-13) dropped Buckland with a short left then worked his way to mount until Buckland (8-4) gave up his back and Alessio slapped on the submission.

Alessio, a Vancouver Island native who trains out of Las Vegas at Xtreme Couture, snapped a two-fight losing streak.

Former UFC fighter Marvin (The Beastman) Eastman was giving up 10 years to 29-year-old light-heavyweight Aron (Poster Boy) Loftman but used some vicious ground and pound to stop the Oklahoma fighter 59 seconds into the second round. A bloody Lofton (6-2) was hanging through the ropes, taking punishment until referee (Big) John McCarthy stepped in. Lofton left with a gash on his left cheek.

Eastman, 39, is a former UNLV running back who had brief stops in the CFL with Calgary and the expansion Birmingham Barracudas before taking up fighting.

Eastman (16-9-1), who made his UFC debut at UFC 43 back in June 2003, was coming off two first-round losses.

Halifax light-heavyweight Ryan Jimmo won his 10th straight and dominated Mychal Clark en route to a unanimous decision, recording six takedowns along the way.

Clark (8-6) came out dancing with a white mask but it was Jimmo (10-1) who celebrated the win by doing the Robot in the ring.

Jimmo, with former UFC middleweight Jason (The Athlete) MacDonald in his corner, came in with a nine-fight win streak although he was beaten trying to fight his way onto the cast of Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter. That loss did not count against his record because it was only two rounds..

Edmonton light-heavyweight Travis Galbraith won a split decision over David Heath in an close, entertaining fight. The judges scored it 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 for Galbraith, (17-6) a well-travelled fighter who plans to move down to 185 pounds.

Heath (11-5) was not happy with the decision. The former UFC fighter, who had lost four of his last six coming in including defeats to Lyoto Machida and Renato (Babalu) Sobral , was upset at taking some low blows and fingers to the eye.