VANCOUVER — Demian Maia backed up his calls for a welterweight title shot with an early submission win over Carlos Condit in the main event of UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Saturday.

Maia, ranked third in the division, stated earlier this week that with a victory over Condit he should be in line for a title fight. And, at 38 years of age, he may get his wish later in the year after forcing Condit to tap out at 3:08 of the opening round — a sudden conclusion to the fourth UFC stop in Vancouver in six years.

Maia made quick work of the fight, which was scheduled for five rounds in front of a crowd of 10,533 fans. He broke down in tears in the middle of the octagon when it was over. Now he will await word on when a potential title fight could take place.

Maia said during a post-fight interview that if the UFC gives Stephen Thompson, the No. 2-ranked fighter in the welterweight division, the next title shot, he wants his opportunity right after that.

"I'm very grateful for everything I've accomplished in my life and very grateful for my family," said Maia, who has won six straight fights. "My life is complete already. The title shot, that will be something else, something amazing if it happens."

Tyron Woodley currently holds the welterweight championship.

Tom Wright, executive vice-president and general manager for UFC Canada, Australia and New Zealand, called Maia's performance "dominant" but said a decision on a possible title fight for Maia has not been made.

Saturday's fight may have been the last for Condit in his career.

There has been speculation about Condit's future in the UFC, and he strongly suggested following his loss to Maia that his days as a fighter could be over. He stopped just short of confirming his retirement, saying he hopes this defeat won't be his "swan song."

He said he'll talk to his management team and his wife and make a decision after that. But he said possible retirement has been "in the back of my mind for a while."

"I don't know if I have business fighting at this level anymore. I've been at this for a really long time," said Condit. "It's been awesome. I've … got to do what I love for a living for a very long time, but I don't know … if I belong here."

Saturday's fight card featured 10 events, including four on the main card.

Charles Oliveira, through a translator, predicted earlier this week following a training session that his hand would be raised in victory over Anthony Pettis, who entered their featherweight bout with three losses in a row.

Instead, Oliveira used his hand to tap out in a loss to Pettis in the third round.

After dropping down from the lightweight division (155 pounds) to the featherweight division (145 pounds), Pettis avoided possible submission at least three times against Oliveira as their fight continued. Pettis, who flirted with a knockout win in the first round, was able to roll Oliveira into a guillotine choke, forcing his opponent to end the fight at 3:11 of the third round.

"I had two losses my whole career and then three (losses) back-to-back ones, I had to do some soul-searching, find out what drives me," said Pettis.

After taking time away from the Octagon to appear on Dancing with the Stars, Paige VanZant returned to UFC with a second-round knockout over Australia's Bec Rawlings.

VanZant, who last fought on Dec. 10, 2015 when she lost by submission in the fifth round, was able to land a kick to the head of Rawlings, driving her opponent to the ground. VanZant continued with a series of punches before the fight was stopped.

Jim Miller opened the main card with a split-decision victory over Joe Lauzon in the highly anticipated rematch between the two lightweight combatants following their bloody, gruesome fight from UFC 155 four years ago.

Miller, who defeated Lauzon in 2012, was able to land a devastating series of combinations in the second round, landing 97 total strikes by the end of the fight.

But he paid a price, with several welts on his face and forehead post-fight. He was also just seconds away from perhaps losing by submission toward the end of the third and final round, as Lauzon was able to lock in an armbar takedown in the dying seconds of the fight only to have time run out.

"I thought I had this one. I felt incredibly confident at the end of the fight. I knew it was close but I thought I took rounds two and three for sure, especially with my take downs and my strikes that landed," said Lauzon in a post-fight interview.

Jeremy Kennedy of Surrey, B.C., was victorious in his UFC debut, earning the win by unanimous decision over Alessandro Ricci of Woodbridge, Ont., in a lightweight fight.

As chants of 'JBC' echoed throughout the arena, the 23-year-old Kennedy, who was moved up from the featherweight division for this event, was able to control the fight against the 34-year-old Ricci for all three rounds as he reached his dream of fighting in the UFC in the first preliminary bout of the day.

Initially, Kennedy was supposed to fight Josh Emmett in Vancouver. Emmett was removed from the card due to injury. Ricci replaced him with only a week's notice.

"Going up a weight class, I kind of expected that grind, that carrying of a heavier body around and taking those bigger shots. But it went the way I wanted it to. I got my hand raised. I feel I won every round and that's the way we planned it," said Kennedy, who admitted he was nervous before the fight.

"There was a lot more people there than I expected. It was pretty loud in there, which is cool. I built that up in my head, anyways, so I was ready for it when it came."

Kennedy entered the fight with a professional record of 8-0-0 from Battlefield Fight League, competing in the featherweight division. He was moved to the lightweight division for Saturday's event, but admitted afterwards he feels more comfortable right now fighting at 145 pounds, instead of 155.

"I don't know what the UFC has in store but I'm a (featherweight). That's my weight class," said Kennedy.

"To be at the highest level and be given the disadvantage of size just doesn't make sense to me. I'm young. Eventually I'll be at (155 pounds) but now I'm a (featherweight). I think that's the plan."