ROSEMONT, Ill. — Anderson Silva held onto his middleweight title with a third-round technical knockout of Patrick Cote at UFC 90 tonight.

Silva (23-4) took a cautious approach in the first round before attacking in the second with a barrage of kicks and knees. Silva won his ninth straight fight and is now 8-0 in UFC. He is tied for the most consecutive wins in UFC history with Jon Fitch and Hall-of-Famer Royce Gracie.

Cote (14-5) took Silva, who had never fought past the second round in his career, to the third round before the fight abruptly ended. Cote, in his first title fight, took a step forward 39 seconds into the third but came up lame after his right knee popped out of place.

Silva, a 33-year-old native of Curitiba, Brazil, has successfully defended his title three times.

Cote had won five straight fights.

Welterweight Thiago Alves (22-4) used his aggressiveness to beat Josh Koscheck in a 30-27, 29-28, 30-27 decision.