NEWARK, N.J. – Former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold made easy work of ex-champ Lyoto Machida, earning a submission midway through the second round after a dominant first frame.

Apart from a pair of hooks Machida (22-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) landed early in the bout, it was lopsided affair in favor of Rockhold (14-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who hasn’t lost in the UFC since his debut inside the promotion’s octagon.

The middleweight bout was the main event of today’s UFC on FOX 15 event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. It aired on FOX following prelims on FOX and UFC Fight Pass.

Rockhold, who is ranked No. 3 in USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie’s middleweight rankings, became just the third person to stop Machida, by forcing him to tap at the 2:31 mark of the second round.

Machida, ranked No. 5, hoped to earn another shot at the middleweight title he missed in a losing effort against champ Chris Weidman at this past July’s UFC 175.

Rockhold, though, treated him like a mid-card fighter, securing the rear-naked choke finish when he flattened the ex-light heavyweight champ and onetime middleweight title challenger after taking mount, as he had at the end of the first round.

Machida, though, was nearly pounded out at the end of the opening frame when Rockhold secured back mount and refused to give up position, landing punches and elbows that caused instant swelling on Machida’s right eye.

Afterward, Rockhold called for a title shot against champ Chris Weidman.

“I did my part,” Rockhold said. “Now you do your part. Madison Square Garden: Let’s make history.”

Weidman, a New Jersey native who was sitting in the crowd, said on FOX’s post-event show that he first needs to focus on an upcoming title defense against Vitor Belfort, who two years ago handed Rockhold his first UFC loss.

Weidman and Belfort meet on May 23 at UFC 187, but the winner of that bout could very well see Rockhold standing across from the cage.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 15 results include:

• Luke Rockhold def. Lyoto Machida via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:31
• Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:33
• Max Holloway def. Cub Swanson via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 3:58
• Paige VanZant def. Felice Herrig via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Beneil Dariush def. Jim Miller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Ovince Saint Preux def. Patrick Cummins via KO (punches) – Round 1, 4:54
• Gian Villante def. Corey Anderson via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:18
• Aljamain Sterling def. Takeya Mizugaki via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 2:11
• Tim Means def. George Sullivan via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:41
• Diego Brandao def. Jimy Hettes via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
• Chris Dempsey def. Eddie Gordon via 29-28, 28-29, 29-28

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 15, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Matt Erickson contributed to this report on site in Newark.)