Top 5-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight contenders Anthony Johnson (No. 2) and Ryan Bader (No. 4) collided tonight (Sat., Jan 30, 2016) in the main event of UFC on FOX 18, which took place inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
And it didn’t last long. Just 86 seconds to be precise.
It was clear from the start that Bader wanted nothing to do with the concussive power of “Rumble,” diving for a takedown early to get the fight on his terms. However, Johnson sprawled and then circled to Bader’s back and patiently waited as “Darth” angled for a kimura. Johnson eventually shuffled him to the cage and popped his arm out, signaling the beginning of the end for Bader, who found himself in full mount with no options for realistic escape.
Bader covered his face from the incoming shots, but his gloves could not soften the savage shots of Johnson. In fact, the third one that landed seemed to make Bader go limp, illustrating once again that he is the most powerful puncher in the 205-pound division and perhaps the entire UFC.
He’s one very scary, scary dude, who will now most likely await the winner of the championship clash between Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones.
For complete results from UFC on FOX 18: “Johnson vs. Bader,” including play-by-play updates, click here and here.