Demetrious Johnson (right) goes for the armbar on John Moraga. (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
It was jabs like these that gave Rory MacDonald the avantage over Jake Ellenbrger. (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Robbie Lawler finishes Bobby Voelker with a head kick. (Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The biggest criticism facing Demetrious Johnson coming in was his inability to finish fights. He’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but not always the most opportunistic. In his last seven wins, the UFC flyweight champion has allowed his opponent to go the distance every time but one.
Johnson is more than happy to come out victorious on the cards. But Saturday night he completed his best performance in the UFC with a submission of John Moraga at 3:43 of the fifth round at UFC on FOX 8 in Seattle. It was the latest submission in UFC history.
“I wasn’t important to me at all,” Johnson said of the finish. “I’m here to fight. I said if the finish comes to me, I’ll take it.”
Johnson, 26, was hunting for Moraga’s arm the entire fight. He took down the challenger repeatedly and looked for a kimura at least a half dozen times. In the fifth, he tried to cinch in the kimura, only to transition to an armbar. Moraga defended, but it was futile. Johnson nearly snapped his arm before referee Herb Dean came in to stop the action.
Johnson, the UFC’s first 125-pound champion, has now defended the belt twice. He’s won four in a row and this is his second victory in a FOX main event after beating John Dodson back in January.
Moraga was a solid collegiate wrestler at Arizona State, but Johnson dominated him by changing levels and taking him down time after time. Johnson’s quickness and technique were too much. Moraga landed a huge right hand near the end of the fourth round, but, like most of the fight, ended up on his back with Johnson on top of him.
The blood gushing out of Johnson’s nose didn’t seem to faze the champion. He came out as strong as ever in the fifth round and got the finish. Whether he was looking to do so or not.
Rory MacDonald def. Jake Ellenberger via unanimous decision
The card’s “real main event” ended up being a dud. MacDonald kept Ellenberger at bay with a sturdy jab and Ellenberger didn’t push the envelope until there was a minute left in the third and final round. MacDonald ended up on his back, but Ellenberger wasn’t able to finish.
There wasn’t much other action to speak of. MacDonald puts himself right in the welterweight title mix with the win, but says he won’t fight champion Georges St-Pierre, his friend and training partner. UFC president Dana White thinks MacDonald actually does want that bout. We’ll see if it actually happens – and if St-Pierre is still holding the title after his November fight with Johny Hendricks.
“I obviously look to finish fights, but he’s a good fighter, so what can you do?” MacDonal said. “I think I had him worried with the elbows because he didn’t want to come near me after that. That wasn’t my game plan, but I accomplished what I needed to do. I think I’m a better fighter than him.”
Robbie Lawler def. Bobby Voelker via second-round knockout (0:24)
The big winner from UFC on FOX 8. Lawler picked his spots in the first and bloodied Voelker’s nose. In the second, he put his left shin across Voelker’s skull and finished things with punches on the ground. Lawler is 2-0 since returning to the UFC and he’s one of the most entertaining fighters in the welterweight division. He should get a top-10 opponent next.
“I’m happy, but I want to go home and see my family,” Lawler said. “I’m healthy so I want to get back in there and train, but I just want to spend some time with my family right now.”
Liz Carmouche def. Jessica Andrade via second-round TKO (3:57)
Andrade had a deep guillotine choke on Carmouche in the first round, but Carmouche refused to tap. She came out in the second round, took Andrade down and beat her up with some vicious ground and pound. Really impressive showing from the first openly gay athlete in the UFC. Carmouche is right back in the mix in the division after fighting in the inaugural UFC women’s bout against Ronda Rousey in February.
“I knew no matter what, even if she had it sunk in all the way, I was not going to tap,” Carmouche said. “It’s not in my nature. The problem was, she had it so tight, and she has short arms so it was difficult for me to try and pry her hands apart. But, it was just a matter of me trying to pop my head out and get free.”