Demetrious Johnson made a huge statement with his fifth-round submission victory over John Moraga at UFC on Fox 8.
Johnson wasn’t the only fighter who opened up some eyes on Saturday night, either.
Though the big event in Seattle was marred by production errors (flyewight division, really?) and a handful of dull fights, there were a few fighters who made the most of their opportunities.
Here is a closer look at the fighters who made the most noise at UFC on Fox 8.
Mighty Mouse Makes Moraga Eat His Words
Moraga made headlines leading up to his fight against Johnson when he called Mighty Mouse “boring,” as noted by Travis McPherson of MMAWeekly.com:
With the fight well in hand, Johnson didn‘t need to press the issue late, but he was in no mood to let the fight go to the cards.
After his impressive win, he spoke about his decision to press the issue, as noted by A.J. Perez of Fox Sports:
“It didn’t bother me at all,” Johnson said of Moraga’s verbal jabs in recent weeks. “My job at the gym is to train to finish. In the fifth round, I knew I was ahead on the scorecards, but I never just relax and try to coast. My job is to finish.”
And finish he did, earning $50,000 extra with the submission of the night on an impressive armbar midway through the fifth and final round.
Johnson dominated the fight throughout the first four rounds, but his extra effort in the fifth round was a telling statement about what kind of competitor and fighter he is.
Robbie Lawler KOs Bobby Voelker
Lawler was once thought to be the UFC’s next up-and-coming star, but his career never took off like many thought it would. After eight years away from the UFC, however, he has won both of his fights in his return to the Octagon.
Though it’s worth pointing out that Voelker was a late stand-in for injured fighter Siyar Bahadurzada, Lawler looked like he would have dominated any opponent on Saturday night.
He controlled the action from the start, using Voelker like a punching bag and opening a cut on his nose in the first round.
Then, at the start of the second round, Lawler sent his opponent to the mat for good with an impressive head-kick knockout that stunned Voelker and the crowd.
Here’s a great shot of the action moments after the kick, as shown by Cory Gregory of MusclePharm:
Though Lawler will likely need to put together at least a couple more performances like this one, it’s safe to say he’s on the radar as a welterweight contender in the UFC, as noted by UFC commentator Jon Anik:
Melvin Guillard Potentially Saves His Career
A fighter who has long had the potential to become a UFC star, Guillard fizzled leading up to his fight against Mac Danzig.
He’s lost two fights in a row and four of his last five, and some people thought he was fighting for his career on Saturday night.
Even if that wasn’t the case, Guillard fought Danzig as if it were his final opportunity.
Utilizing incredibly powerful hammerfists, Guillard pummeled his opponent into submission, winning the fight by way of knockout in the second round.
It was his seventh career knockout and 11th career win, which are landmark numbers in the lightweight division, as noted by the UFC:
Not only did Guillard potentially save his career, but with a couple more performances like that, he’ll be right there in the thick of things for a shot at the title.
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