Tag: John Moraga

Surprises and Disappointments From UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga


(A triumphant loss for Trevor Smith, and an awe-inspiring punch-face for Ed Herman. / Photo via Getty. Click to enlarge.)

By Adam Martin

UFC on FOX 8 not only provided a number of awesome moments from some unexpected heroes, but it also saw a few fighters who were expected to do big things disappoint in a big way. In the first of a new post-event column only on CagePotato.com, here are three fighters who surprised us at UFC on FOX 8 and three fighters who let us down.

Surprises

Demetrious Johnson: Many expected UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to successfully defend his title against John Moraga in the main event of UFC on FOX 8, but I don’t think anyone predicted him to win the fight via armbar with just one minute and 17 seconds left in the fight.

But that’s exactly what Johnson did as he earned his first stoppage victory in eight UFC fights, en route to shutting up the critics who called him boring and said he didn’t have what it takes to finish a tough guy like Moraga.

Johnson had all four rounds in his pocket and was ahead in the fifth, but instead of coasting to a win he tried desperately to get the finish and put an exclamation point on his performance, and that’s exactly what he did with his first submission win in the Octagon, a victory that earned him the $50,000 “Submission of the Night” award.

“Mighty Mouse” is always going to have his detractors because of his wrestling-heavy style, and I think his finish of Moraga is a bit of an anomaly, but on Saturday night he deserved all the praise in the world for a brilliant performance, one that has truly earned him his spot amongst the pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA. And hopefully, it’s just a sign of things to come.

Melvin Guillard: It had been over two years since Melvin Guillard last stopped an opponent inside the Octagon, but with his brutal second-round KO of Mac Danzig on the UFC on FOX 8 preliminary card, it’s safe to say that “The Young Assassin” is back.


(A triumphant loss for Trevor Smith, and an awe-inspiring punch-face for Ed Herman. / Photo via Getty. Click to enlarge.)

By Adam Martin

UFC on FOX 8 not only provided a number of awesome moments from some unexpected heroes, but it also saw a few fighters who were expected to do big things disappoint in a big way. In the first of a new post-event column only on CagePotato.com, here are three fighters who surprised us at UFC on FOX 8 and three fighters who let us down.

Surprises

Demetrious Johnson: Many expected UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to successfully defend his title against John Moraga in the main event of UFC on FOX 8, but I don’t think anyone predicted him to win the fight via armbar with just one minute and 17 seconds left in the fight.

But that’s exactly what Johnson did as he earned his first stoppage victory in eight UFC fights, en route to shutting up the critics who called him boring and said he didn’t have what it takes to finish a tough guy like Moraga.

Johnson had all four rounds in his pocket and was ahead in the fifth, but instead of coasting to a win he tried desperately to get the finish and put an exclamation point on his performance, and that’s exactly what he did with his first submission win in the Octagon, a victory that earned him the $50,000 “Submission of the Night” award.

“Mighty Mouse” is always going to have his detractors because of his wrestling-heavy style, and I think his finish of Moraga is a bit of an anomaly, but on Saturday night he deserved all the praise in the world for a brilliant performance, one that has truly earned him his spot amongst the pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA. And hopefully, it’s just a sign of things to come.

Melvin Guillard: It had been over two years since Melvin Guillard last stopped an opponent inside the Octagon, but with his brutal second-round KO of Mac Danzig on the UFC on FOX 8 preliminary card, it’s safe to say that “The Young Assassin” is back.

Training with boxing coach Trevor Wittman at Grudge in preparation for Danzig, Guillard really got back to what made him such a successful lightweight in the first place, and that’s his hands, which are some of the heaviest in the UFC’s entire 155-pound division.

Danzig found out that out the hard way on Saturday night after Guillard knocked him down with a punch and then followed it up with some exceptionally brutal hammerfists, blows that were so deadly that poor Danzig could be seen weeping once he awoke from his nightmare. (GIF here, explanation here.)

Guillard is a bit of a headcase but there’s no denying the talent is there, and after getting a big win over Danzig that snapped his two-fight losing streak and earned him some bonus money for “Knockout of the Night,” look for Guillard to be more confident in his next fight. Who knows, maybe we’ll finally see him unlock the potential that we all know he has.

Trevor Smith: Perhaps the biggest throwaway fight on the entire card heading into UFC on FOX 8 was the middleweight matchup between Ed Herman and Strikeforce vet Trevor Smith, a fight that no one was talking about heading into the weekend’s event.

But that’s why you should never judge a fight on paper before it’s been fought because, man, Herman vs. Smith is my early frontrunner for “Fight of the Year” in 2013 and that’s not hyperbole.

This was such an awesome fight that any words I use to describe it won’t do it justice, as anyone who saw it will agree with — just go and watch it if you haven’t yet, it really was amazing — and it was the surprisingly good performance by Smith which was made it so memorable.

I knew Smith had good grappling, but he hit Herman with some massive punches and he also showed that he has a solid chin as he ate a number of bombs from “Short Fuse” but never went out. For three rounds he fought valiantly and, even though he ended up losing a split decision, Smith put on a memorable performance and definitely earned himself another fight inside the Octagon.

Sometimes a fighter can lose and still emerge with their stock going up and Smith’s performance at UFC on FOX 8 is the best example of this that I can think of in recent memory. Smith is well deserving of his “Fight of the Night” award, as well as all of the new fans he made on Saturday night.

Disappointments

Jake Ellenberger: The most disappointing performance by any fighter on the entire UFC on FOX 8 card came courtesy of Jake Ellenberger, who laid an egg in his co-main event bout against fellow welterweight contender Rory MacDonald.

Ellenberger literally did nothing for three rounds outside of one takedown on MacDonald in the third round, and both fighters were booed by the crowd and then chewed out by UFC president Dana White on both Twitter and at the post-fight presser for their bad fight.

But while some are blaming MacDonald’s low-risk, jab-centric strategy for the fight being boring, I believe it had a lot more to do with Ellenberger freezing in the biggest moment of his career, a fight that would have likely garnered him a title shot had he emerged victorious.

Instead, Ellenberger’s stock dropped dramatically because the fight didn’t live up to expectations at all, and much of that can be blamed on the hesitation of “The Juggernaut,” who was uncharacteristically cautious throughout the bout.

I like Ellenberger and believe he can still beat a lot of welterweights in the UFC, but the fight with MacDonald proved once again he’s essentially a 170-pound version of Michael Bisping, a fighter that can get to that title eliminator position but not win the big fight to put themselves over the hump.

But unlike Bisping, don’t expect Ellenberger to get any more title eliminator fights anytime soon. At least Bisping tried to fight Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen and Dan Henderson. Ellenberger, though? I wouldn’t call what he was doing with MacDonald “fighting,” and I bet UFC matchmaker Joe Silva feels similarly.

Michael Chiesa: One of the most disappointing performances by a fighter on the undercard took place during the FX prelims, where Michael Chiesa suffered the first-ever loss of his career after tapping out to a Jorge Masvidal D’arce choke with just one second left in the second round.

Chiesa fought very well in the first round and even hurt Masvidal with his underrated striking, but after failing on a power guillotine attempt and letting Masvidal recover from being rocked, Chiesa’s performance went downhill from there as Masvidal thoroughly dominated the second round until he managed to sink the choke, drawing a tap from “Maverick” literally right before the bell sounded to end round two.

I’m surprised that Chiesa, who is known for his heart and will, wasn’t able to hang on just a half second longer and take the fight to the third round, where he might have had the edge over Masvidal because of his superior cardio. Instead, he tapped out and lost for the first time in his career and, to make matters even worse, he ran out of the cage a la Forrest Griffin, which was hugely disrespectful to his opponent.

I’ve been a Chiesa supporter ever since he won TUF Live despite the death of his father, but this loss is a setback for him and I really hope it’s not a defeat that will ruin his career. Chiesa is only 25 years old and this wouldn’t be the first time an undefeated MMA prospect suffered a loss that made them fall off the rails.

John Albert: One last disappointment that has to be mentioned is John Albert, who was submitted by Yaotzin Meza in round two of the first Facebook fight of the night. It’s Albert’s fourth loss in a row in the UFC — all by submission — and there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be getting a pink slip from UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby sometime this week.

Albert is such a talented fighter but his lack of cardio has always been his problem and yet he didn’t bother fixing it for this fight with Meza, a guy who trains with UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, the fighter with arguably the best cardio in the UFC. After Albert gassed following an armbar attempt, Meza took advantage and won the fight with a rear-naked choke, an embarrassing result for Albert considering he was winning the fight until his poor conditioning cost him the fight — and likely his job, too.

I knew it was a bad omen when Albert walked into the cage with Dennis Hallman by his side. Hallman, after all, was always known for his bad cardio and even though he always had a slick submission game – just like his pupil Albert — if his opponent was able to survive it he usually lost. Sadly, Albert never learned anything from watching his mentor fight, as he’s basically a 135-pound version of Hallman, and no, that’s not a compliment.

UFC on FOX 8 Aftermath: The Flyweights Deliver


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By Elias Cepeda

Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson delivered another exciting, winning performance last night in the main event of UFC on Fox 8. The champ defended his title successfully with a fifth round arm bar submission win over challenger John Moraga.

Long before the submission, however, it looked like Johnson was going to walk away with a clear-cut victory. The Washington resident used his footwork, take downs, ground striking and submission attempts to put on a show for his home town crowd in Seattle Saturday night. Johnson took the two-time All-American wrestler Moraga down at will and worked him over with choke and arm bar attempts before finally securing the fight-ending hold in the last round.

For his part, Moraga never appeared to break or give in. He simply was no match for the champion.

Post fight, Johnson said that, while he is satisfied to continue to defend his 125 pound belt, he is open to doing “super fights” with champions of heavier divisions. “[A superfight] is just something to throw out there,” Johnson said at the post-event press conference. “I’m still focused on my weight division. I know there’s up-and-coming fighters who are trying to come up and take what’s mine, and I’ll be there to defend it for the fans.”

“I think everybody is focused on Anderson Silva, ‘GSP’ and all those guys,” Johnson continued. “But I think we can make some fun super fights down in a lighter-weight division with the flyweights fighting the bantamweights. I know the bantamweights have some things to work out, and then we’ll see what happens. I’m just here to fight and have a good time and put on a good performance for the UFC and the fans.”

Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger’s war of tweets came to a relatively muted climax in the co-main event. MacDonald used masterful foot work, angles and a stiff, precise jab to out-point Ellenberger and win a decision. Scores were 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for MacDonald.

MacDonald managed to stay elusive while stalking Ellenberger for much of the fight. Ellenberger swang hard in spurts with his hooks behind a peek-a-boo posture, but mostly whiffed. Late in the third round, Ellenberger was finally able to catch Rory with a big shot and take down but the young Canadian immediately switched to offense from his back, threatening to get up with butterfly guards and with triangle choke and oma-plata shoulder lock attempts, before taking his opponent’s back at the final horn.


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By Elias Cepeda

Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson delivered another exciting, winning performance last night in the main event of UFC on Fox 8. The champ defended his title successfully with a fifth round arm bar submission win over challenger John Moraga.

Long before the submission, however, it looked like Johnson was going to walk away with a clear-cut victory. The Washington resident used his footwork, take downs, ground striking and submission attempts to put on a show for his home town crowd in Seattle Saturday night. Johnson took the two-time All-American wrestler Moraga down at will and worked him over with choke and arm bar attempts before finally securing the fight-ending hold in the last round.

For his part, Moraga never appeared to break or give in. He simply was no match for the champion.

Post fight, Johnson said that, while he is satisfied to continue to defend his 125 pound belt, he is open to doing “super fights” with champions of heavier divisions. “[A superfight] is just something to throw out there,” Johnson said at the post-event press conference. “I’m still focused on my weight division. I know there’s up-and-coming fighters who are trying to come up and take what’s mine, and I’ll be there to defend it for the fans.”

“I think everybody is focused on Anderson Silva, ‘GSP’ and all those guys,” Johnson continued. “But I think we can make some fun super fights down in a lighter-weight division with the flyweights fighting the bantamweights. I know the bantamweights have some things to work out, and then we’ll see what happens. I’m just here to fight and have a good time and put on a good performance for the UFC and the fans.”

Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger’s war of tweets came to a relatively muted climax in the co-main event. MacDonald used masterful foot work, angles and a stiff, precise jab to out-point Ellenberger and win a decision. Scores were 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for MacDonald.

MacDonald managed to stay elusive while stalking Ellenberger for much of the fight. Ellenberger swang hard in spurts with his hooks behind a peek-a-boo posture, but mostly whiffed. Late in the third round, Ellenberger was finally able to catch Rory with a big shot and take down but the young Canadian immediately switched to offense from his back, threatening to get up with butterfly guards and with triangle choke and oma-plata shoulder lock attempts, before taking his opponent’s back at the final horn.

MacDonald continued to move forward in the UFC welterweight rankings behind champion and teammate Georges St. Pierre. However, the twenty three year-old reiterated on the Fuel TV post event show that, while he wants to be champion by the age of twenty five, he will never fight St. Pierre.

Robbie Lawler took out his late-notice opponent, Strikeforce veteran Bobby Voelker with head kick and strikes on the ground early on in the second round of their welterweight fight. The KO win is Lawler’s second consecutive knock out since returning to the organization.

Liz Carmouche notched her first UFC win with a second round TKO over Jessica Andrade. Carmouche used repeated take downs to ground her opponent and survived an early guillotine choke before finishing with strikes from the mount.

Fight of the Night $50,000 honors and bonuses went to Trevor Smith and Ed Herman for their undercard war. Demetrious Johnson earned Submission of the Night recognition and the $50k prize that went with it. Melvin Guillard took home the same amount in bonus money for his Knockout of the Night win over Mac Danzig.

UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga — Main Card Results and Commentary


(I got nothin’. So here’s Julie Kedzie looking like a crazy cat lady. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

A breakthrough moment for the flyweights. A Canadian psycho and an American juggernaut. A veteran banger, still doin’ the damn thang. And a young upstart who promises to test the will of the Girl-rilla. It’s UFC on FOX time, folks. Let’s get it.

The main card for UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, and our man George Shunick will be hooking us up with round-by-round results, after the jump. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and toss your own thoughts, predictions, and one-liners into the comments section. Thanks for being here.


(I got nothin’. So here’s Julie Kedzie looking like a crazy cat lady. / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

A breakthrough moment for the flyweights. A Canadian psycho and an American juggernaut. A veteran banger, still doin’ the damn thang. And a young upstart who promises to test the will of the Girl-rilla. It’s UFC on FOX time, folks. Let’s get it.

The main card for UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, and our man George Shunick will be hooking us up with round-by-round results, after the jump. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and toss your own thoughts, predictions, and one-liners into the comments section. Thanks for being here.

Welcome to the liveblog, Potato Nation. Tonight’s fights have been… interesting to say the least. With another split-decision, UFC on FOX 8 will break the record for most split-decisions on a single card. Not exactly the most prestigious record. Moreover, two of those decisions have had 30-27/27-30 splits. I guess what I’m saying is hopefully the judging incompetence has been pre-emptively exorcised tonight before the title fight between John Moraga and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. With that said, judging aside, tonight’s card should be excellence. My picks? Johnson, Patrick Bateman Rory MacDonald, Robbie Lawler and Liz Carmouche. OK, not the most exciting picks out there. (BUT WE’LL SEE WHO HAS THE LAST LAUGH WHEN THEY WIN.) Now let’s get to the fights…

Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade

Yeah, I know next to nothing about Andrade. Unprofessional, I know. Still, gotta go with Carmouche here simply by virtue of her experience. You hang as well as she did with Ronda Rousey, you’re gonna be the favorite.

Round 1

Carmouche refuses to touch gloves to begin. Andrade catches a kick, but Carmouche muscles her against the fence. Carmouche slames her with a double leg and gets side control. Andrade turtles, but Carmouche stays on her as she works short punches. Andrade gets to her feet, but is pushed into the fence again. Andrade briefly reverses position, but not for long. Carmouche works short strikes along the fence. Carmouche lands a takedown and ends up in half-guard. Andrade goes for a sweep, fails, and gives up side control. Andrade tries to use the cage to escape, to no avail. Andrade escapes, stands and SLAMS Carmouche down. Now she grabs a gullotine as Carmouche tries to go for a takedown. It’s tight, but Carmouche is fighting it. Andrade alternates between an intense grip and a lighter one, pacing herself. As the round end, Andrade cranks but Carmouche survives. Close round with the submission attempt at the end.

Round 2

Carmouche looks for front kicks, but doesn’t connect. Andrade runs full speed at Carmouche and Carmouche easily changes levels and lands a takedown. Carmouche lands strikes from halg-guard and passes to side control. Then mount. Serious ground and pound from Carmouche. Andrade rolls over and flattens out. Carmouche with vicious strikes to the side of Andrade’s head. Now working for an RNC. Andrade is managing to survive and escape. Now she’s eating shots from mount, though. Again she rolls to her back, and again she’s flattened out. Elbows to the side of Andrade’s head thud on the mat. More elbows and punches from mount. Carmouche with a solid minute of unanswered shots and Herb Dean is close to stopping it. And he does. Andrade never gave up, but she had no answer for Carmouche’s ground and pound.

There was a moment in that fight where Carmouche was elbowing Andrade’s head as it was trapped against the mat, and the thud was sickeningly audible. Andrade is tough and wasn’t going to give in, but that’s why you’ve got refs.

Robbie Lawler vs. Bobby Voelker

The battle to decide who has the better nickname for “Robert” begins!

Round 1

Voelker lands a short right. Lots of circling in the first minute. Jab from Voelker. Low kick from Voelker answered by a body kick from Lawler. Lawler grabs Voelker and simply tosses him down. Lawler lands a knee to the midsection as Voelker stands. Now against the cage, Lawler lands another knee to the body, then one to the head. Voelker is cut on the bridge of his nose. Big uppercut from Lawler. Headkick form Voelker is blocked. Lawler checks a kick. Head kick from Lawler barely misses. Voelker has trouble closing the distance in this fight. Lawler with a flying knee that lands! Voelker remains unfazed, but ineffective. Elbow from Lawler. Body kick from Voelker. Nice jab from Lawler. BIG kick to the body from Lawler, then another flying knee. They exchange in the center of the Octagon until the bell rings. 10-9 Lawler.

Round 2

Lawler lands a headkick to Voelker forehead and Voelker is out. He sits down, unconscious, and Lawler adds a punch to accentuate his point. Robbie Lawler surpassed expectations, which is impressive considering we expected him to do something like this.

Goldie astutely points out that “Jerramy Stevens is in the house!” For those of you who don’t know, Jerramy Stevens is allegedly a rapist and an all-around horrible human being. Definitely a low point in UFC PR.

Rory MacDonald vs. Jake Ellenberger

I’ve got Rory here. Ellenberger’s definitely got more power, but he tends to gas after about a round and a half. He can get the knockout, but I doubt he’ll win a decision. And I don’t see him getting close enough to knock out MacDonald. Still, if it’s any consolation, I think he’s got the best of Rory in their twitter exchanges.

Round 1

They don’t touch gloves. Duh. Jab from Rory lands. Ellenberger blocks a kick. Ellenberger lunches for a cross, but can’t land it. Not a lot of action thus far. Both men are sizing each other up. Jab from Rory again. More jabs land, but nothing substantive. The crowd is beginning to grow restless. Ellenberger lands a jab of his own. Neither is commiting to entering into striking range. MacDonald tries a high kick, but it’s blocked. Ellenberger rushes in with a flurry and lands a knee. Ellenberger misses with a left-right combination. MacDonald blocks a headkick and evades a hook. Ellenberger slips a double jab. He reaches for a hook and it doesn’t connect. Rory lands a jab. They clinch but nothing comes of it. Round ends, 10-9 MacDonald or 10-10.

Round 2

Front kick lands from Rory. 30 seconds in and the crowd is already booing. Ellenberger simply can’t close the distance. He lands a hook, but MacDonald quickly lands a jab. Rory barely misses a front kick. Ellenberger shoots, but Rory stuffs it. Ellenberger lands an uppercut, though. More jabs from MacDonald. Rogan’s harping on MacDonald’s jab, but it’s rarely landed flush. Rory shoots for a takedown and is stuffed. There’s a brief flurry and they separate. Head kick from MacDonald misses. Ellenberger begins lunging with hooks, but he’s just hitting air. Ellenberger rushes, but still can’t catch MacDonald who angles out. The crowd is full on booing as the round ends. 10-9 MacDonald.

Round 3

Rory throwing front kicks, keeping Ellenberger at bay. More jabs from MacDonald. Ellenberger thinks about a spinning backfist, but Rory’s gone when he turns around. Another jab. Ellenberger tries to use a takedown attempt to set up some strikes, but it doesn’t work. He lands a jab, though. Then a right hand. Ellenberger needs to push forwarrd if he has any hope winning. MacDonald slips, but immediately returns to his feet. Ellenberger doesn’t capitalize, merely landing a left hook. Front kick from Rory again backs up Ellenberger. A jab stops him in his tracks. Ellenberger lands a right hand and then a takedown. With less than a minute to work, MacDonald has Ellenberger in butterfly guard. MacDonald attempts a sweep, then uses the threat of a triangle to neutralize Ellenberger. The round ends as they scramble. 10-9 MacDonald? I guess he takes this 30-28.

30-27, 29-28 and 30-27 for Rory MacDonald. No post-fight interview as the crowd boos heavily. I wouldn’t go as far as to call this a technical showcase by MacDonald, but he did manage to neutralize Ellenberger. But this fight definitely failed to meet expectations.

Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga

But this fight won’t! Seriously, name a boring flyweight fight. Just one. I’m not going to hold my breath. Demetrious Johnson is perhaps the most technically and strategically sound fighter in the UFC. And he probably has the best cardio as well. There’s no way this one’s a snoozer.

Round 1

Johnson lands a low kick. Mighty Mouse switching stances. Moraga goes to the body. Body kick from Moraga. Moraga’s having trouble catching Johnson though. He lands a right after a DJ takedown attempt. Hard low kicks from Moraga. Right hand from Johnson who tries for a Thai clinch. Moraga pushes him into the fence, but Johnson reverses position. They exchange weak knees. Johnson grabs a double leg and gets side control. Moraga hangs on to a headlock, but Johnson gets out and looks for a kimura. he gives up on it and looks for a mounted crucifix. Moraga regains half guard, though. Johnson lands some decent ground and pound. Moraga uses a leglock attempt to try to sweep, but ends up in a front headlock. he turtles, and Johnson attempts a buzzer beating guillotine, but the round ends. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 2

Low kick from Moraga. Johnson returns with his own. Big takedown from Johnson as Moraga rushed in. Johnson passes to side control like it was nothing. Johnson attempts the crucifix again, but quickly goes back to side control. Johnson works short strikes from the top. Moraga scrambles and looks for a reverse triangle, but it’s for naught. Johnson’s in side control again. Johnson looks for a kimura, and uses this to try to get to north-south. However, Moraga turns his back and tries to stand. He eats a slam for his troubles. Moraga manges to stand, eats a knee, and tries to get a takedown on the fence. Johnson escapes and lands a hard low kick. Nice counter jab from Moraga, but Johnson lands a big double leg. Moraga tries to work for a choke despite being on the bottom in side control. He regains half-guard, though. Johnson works for the kimura again, but settles for some ground and pound instead. Round over, 10-9 Johnson.

Round 3

Low kick Johnson, and another after a faked takedown. Moraga is slowing down a little. Body kick from Johnson. Moraga misses a kick and follow up punches. Another double leg for Johnson. He’s in full guard as Moraga works short elbows from the bottom. But DJ quickly passes to side control. Once again, he works for a kimura, but Moraga turtles. Johnson gets a hook in but not the second. They stand. A knee and elbow land for Moraga, and he pushes Johnson into the fence. He tries to take Johnson down, only to have Johnson spin him around. Johnson is in half-guard, and again works for that kimura. He’s got the grip and the arm isolated! He takes his time, but loses it and has his back to the fence, sitting down. Johnson stands against the fence, and they exchange knees. Moraga lands a takedown, but as soon as he does, Johnson sits up and they stand. Moraga falls down as he misses a spinning back kick. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 4

Moraga misses a combination. Johnson lands a body kick, but Moraga answers with one of his own. Then he’s immediately taken down. I imagine he must be a little frustrated by now. Johnson has a front headlock as Moraga is turtled. He spins and tries to take Moraga’s back. Moraga stands and eats a body kick as he does. Low kick Mighty Mouse. Another body kick. head kick from Johnson misses. Johnson delivers a knee from the Thai clinch, separates and lands a takedown. He’s in full guard, Moraga pushes him off and stands. Now Johnson grabs the Thai clinch. He lands a knee and pushes him into the fence. Johnson lands a knee to Moraga’s face as Moraga’s hand just touches the floor, but nothing is called. Johnson has a front headlock and knees the body. He unleashes a combination, but Moraga stands and tries for a single. Nope. Standing, Mighty Mouse misses a headkick. Moraga lands a BIG shot with thirty seconds left, rushes after the injured Johnson… and gets taken down. Johnson is bleeding, but that doesn’t stop him from passing to side control as the round ends. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 5

They touch gloves. Low kick from Johnson. Another one. Johnson slips a left and lands his tenth takedown. He passes to side control. Moraga hip escapes, stands, and is immediately taken down. And Johnson passes to side control. Some deja vu here. Johnson grabs a front headlock as Moraga turtles. Johnson works short knees to the shoulders. Moraga stands, tries for a toss, but gets taken down. Johnson in side control. (Obviously.) Works short knees to Moraga’s ribs. Mighty Mouse looking to isolate Moraga’s arm for a kimura. He goes for an armbar and he gets it!! That’s how a champion does it; clearly ahead on the scorecards, Johnson never let up or stopped looking for a finish. Exceptional performance from Mighty Mouse in an excellent, if one-sided main event.

Johnson gets the record for the latest stoppage in UFC history with only 1:17 left in the first round. I believe that tops Anderson Silva’s submission of Chael Sonnen at UFC 117. That about wraps it up for tonight, folks. Enjoy your evening, Potato Nation!

UFC on FOX 8 Preliminary Card Results:
– Jorge Masvidal def. Michael Chiesa via submission (d’arce choke), 4:59 of round 2
– Danny Castillo def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Melvin Guillard def. Mac Danzig via KO, 2:47 of round 2
– Daron Cruickshank def. Yves Edwards via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
– Ed Herman def. Trevor Smith via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
– Germaine de Randamie def. Julie Kedzie via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
– Justin Salas def. Aaron Riley via split decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
– Yaotzin Meza def. John Albert via submission (rear-naked choke), 2:49 of round 2

 

UPDATED: UFC on FOX 8 Weigh-In Results; Three Fighters Come in Over the Limit

(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

The 24 fighters competing on tomorrow night’s UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga card will be hitting the scales this evening at Seattle’s Key Arena, beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. You can watch the action* live in the player above, and we’ll update the results (along with any relevant GIFs) after the jump. [Update: Three fighters missed weight, most notably lightweight Tim Means, who whiffed by five pounds. Details below.]

* So to speak. I mean, really, it’ll just be a bunch of guys weighing themselves and posing at each other.


(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

The 24 fighters competing on tomorrow night’s UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga card will be hitting the scales this evening at Seattle’s Key Arena, beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. You can watch the action* live in the player above, and we’ll update the results (along with any relevant GIFs) after the jump. [Update: Three fighters missed weight, most notably lightweight Tim Means, who whiffed by five pounds. Details below.]

* So to speak. I mean, really, it’ll just be a bunch of guys weighing themselves and posing at each other.

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)
Demetrious Johnson (124.5) vs. John Moraga (124.5)
Jake Ellenberger (171) vs. Rory MacDonald (170.5)
Robbie Lawler (170.5) vs. Bobby Voelker (170)
Jessica Andrade (134) vs. Liz Carmouche (136)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT)
Michael Chiesa (155.5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (155)*
Danny Castillo (155) vs. Tim Means (160)**
Mac Danzig (155) vs. Melvin Guillard (155)
Daron Cruickshank (156) vs. Yves Edwards (155)
Ed Herman (186) vs. Trevor Smith (185)
Germaine de Randamie (135) vs. Julie Kedzie (135.5)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT)
Aaron Riley (156) vs. Justin Salas (155)
John Albert (137)*** vs. Yaotzin Meza (136)

* Masvidal originally weighed in at 157.5. He was given two hours to drop additional weight, and made it down to 155 on his second attempt.

** Means will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Castillo.

*** Albert will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Meza.

[VIDEO] CagePotato Asks: Does Bourbon Street Care About Little Flyweights?

If Michael Bisping or the UFC’s marketing department would have their way, none of us MMA fans would dare speak a word of the UFC’s tiniest and most criticized division from this day forth. We’re talking, of course, about those little flyweights.

Yes, despite putting on consistently entertaining performances, the UFC’s flyweight division has come under fire since the day of its inception for being “unmarketable” and lacking a distinctive amount of banging, bro. And with the all but completely overlooked title fight between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga going down on FOX this weekend, we decided to send staff writer and NOLA resident Seth Falvo into the fiery bowels of the infamous Bourbon Street to get some predictions and also ask: Does anyone really care about flyweights? 

As you would expect, the only people Seth was able to wrangle in were either street performers, gypsies, guys in chicken suits, or sign holders for gay strip clubs. As you would also expect, most of them were forced to drunkenly yell over the sounds of carnival music in order to be heard, hence the need for subtitles. Tis a silly place, New Orleans.

Check out the mostly inaudible video above, then make sure to tune in to UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga tomorrow to see if these flyweights can *finally* live up to all that hype they’re getting.

–J. Jones

If Michael Bisping or the UFC’s marketing department would have their way, none of us MMA fans would dare speak a word of the UFC’s tiniest and most criticized division from this day forth. We’re talking, of course, about those little flyweights.

Yes, despite putting on consistently entertaining performances, the UFC’s flyweight division has come under fire since the day of its inception for being “unmarketable” and lacking a distinctive amount of banging, bro. And with the all but completely overlooked title fight between Demetrious Johnson and John Moraga going down on FOX this weekend, we decided to send staff writer and NOLA resident Seth Falvo into the fiery bowels of the infamous Bourbon Street to get some predictions and also ask: Does anyone really care about flyweights? 

As you would expect, the only people Seth was able to wrangle in were either street performers, gypsies, guys in chicken suits, or sign holders for gay strip clubs. As you would also expect, most of them were forced to drunkenly yell over the sounds of carnival music in order to be heard, hence the need for subtitles. Tis a silly place, New Orleans.

Check out the mostly inaudible video above, then make sure to tune in to UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga tomorrow to see if these flyweights can *finally* live up to all that hype they’re getting.

–J. Jones

Four Hidden Storylines For ‘UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga’

By Adam Martin

There’s often so much going on during UFC on FOX events that some of the more intriguing storylines get lost amongst all the glamour and glitz of network television. Here are four important themes surrounding UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga that have been flying under the radar heading into this weekend’s show. Let us know what you think, and be sure to come back to CagePotato.com this Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT for our liveblog of the main card.

Is UFC On FOX 8 Make Or Break For The Flyweights?

UFC on FOX 8 is headlined by the flyweight title fight between reigning champion Demetrious Johnson and challenger John Moraga, and it’s a fight that could help the flyweight division explode if it’s exciting — or hold the division back if it’s a bore.

The last time that 125-pounders headlined an event was at UFC on FOX 6, when Johnson defended his title against John Dodson. The match won “Fight of the Night,” but that might not be the first thing that fans think of when they remember the event. Instead, they think of Anthony Pettis’s body kick KO of Donald Cerrone, or (for less positive reasons) Rampage Jackson’s last Octagon fight against Glover Teixeira.

It may be because flyweight fights so often go to decision, and the fans, especially casual fans, love to see knockouts and submissions. But it’s rare to see true KO power among 125-pound fighters, and the fact that flyweights tend to be extremely quick and nimble makes it harder for submissions to get locked in.

Demetrious Johnson certainly fits this stereotype, as he’s managed to go 27 rounds in his UFC career without securing a single stoppage victory. But Moraga has been an exception to the rule. Both of his Octagon appearances have ended in pleasingly violent finishes. Unfortunately, those finishes — a knockout of Ulysses Gomez at UFC on FOX 4 and a guillotine-choke submission of Chris Cariaso at UFC 155  — were both buried on the opening preliminary bouts of the cards they were on. In other words, even if you attended those events in person, you might have missed them. Despite being a title challenger in a main event fight on FOX, Moraga is still a stranger to most fans.

By Adam Martin

There’s often so much going on during UFC on FOX events that some of the more intriguing storylines get lost amongst all the glamour and glitz of network television. Here are four important themes surrounding UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga that have been flying under the radar heading into this weekend’s show. Let us know what you think, and be sure to come back to CagePotato.com this Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT for our liveblog of the main card.

Is UFC on FOX 8 Make or Break for the Flyweights?

UFC on FOX 8 is headlined by the flyweight title fight between reigning champion Demetrious Johnson and challenger John Moraga, and it’s a fight that could help the flyweight division explode if it’s exciting — or hold the division back if it’s a bore.

The last time that 125-pounders headlined an event was at UFC on FOX 6, when Johnson defended his title against John Dodson. The match won “Fight of the Night,” but that might not be the first thing that fans think of when they remember the event. Instead, they think of Anthony Pettis’s body kick KO of Donald Cerrone, or (for less positive reasons) Rampage Jackson’s last Octagon fight against Glover Teixeira.

It may be because flyweight fights so often go to decision, and the fans, especially casual fans, love to see knockouts and submissions. But it’s rare to see true KO power among 125-pound fighters, and the fact that flyweights tend to be extremely quick and nimble makes it harder for submissions to get locked in.

Demetrious Johnson certainly fits this stereotype, as he’s managed to go 27 rounds in his UFC career without securing a single stoppage victory. But Moraga has been an exception to the rule. Both of his Octagon appearances have ended in pleasingly violent finishes. Unfortunately, those finishes — a knockout of Ulysses Gomez at UFC on FOX 4 and a guillotine-choke submission of Chris Cariaso at UFC 155  — were both buried on the opening preliminary bouts of the cards they were on. In other words, even if you attended those events in person, you might have missed them. Despite being a title challenger in a main event fight on FOX, Moraga is still a stranger to most fans.

Johnson and Moraga are definitely under pressure to perform this weekend. If the fight ends in a boring, five-round unanimous decision, I don’t think the fans are going to be buying the flyweights going forward — and the UFC is already planning to have them headlining pay-per-views in the future. But if the fight ends in a spectacular finish? That could be the first step towards real interest in the division.

It’s make-or-break time for the flyweights at UFC on FOX 8. Now let’s see if they’re up for the challenge.

Will Rory MacDonald Be the Man to Dethrone Georges St-Pierre?

Canadian Rory MacDonald, who just turned 24, is quickly moving up the welterweight ranks, and a fight between MacDonald and UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is going to be bandied about should “Ares” win in impressive fashion against Jake Ellenberger this weekend in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 8.

Of course, there’s a big problem with that matchup and it’s the fact that MacDonald and St-Pierre are longtime teammates and friends at TriStar Gym in Montreal. As MacDonald recently said on The MMA Hour: “We’re not fighting. Me and Georges are friends, we’re training partners. We’ll have our own arrangements and figure it all out when the time comes. It’s not going to come to us fighting.”

Then again, money has a way of changing people’s minds. (See also: “I back.“) Right now, there are only a few fresh contenders left for St-Pierre at welterweight: Johny Hendricks, who GSP faces next at UFC 167 in November; Ellenberger, who may get a title shot with a win over MacDonald; Demian Maia, who is quickly moving up the 170-pound ladder; Erick Silva, who the UFC would love to fast-track to a title shot thanks to his growing popularity in Brazil; and MacDonald, the quiet Canadian with a killer’s glare in his eyes.

After watching MacDonald embarrass BJ Penn, Che Mills, Mike Pyle, Nate Diaz and Mike Guymon, and put up a hell of a fight against Carlos Condit, MacDonald could be the UFC welterweight champion in a few years. It’s not Hendricks or Ellenberger or Maia who has the potential to take the belt away from St-Pierre, it’s the young Canuck MacDonald, and he can solidify his position as heir to the welterweight throne with a victory over Ellenberger this weekend.

Michael Chiesa: From TUF Winner To Potential Lightweight Contender

Michael Chiesa has one of the best stories in sports, but the UFC has done a terrible job promoting him even though he is on his way to becoming a contender in the lightweight division.

Just days after entering the TUF 15 house, Chiesa’s father passed away, but instead of letting the tragedy paralyze him, Chiesa instead used it for strength, and ended up running the table by defeating all of his opponents on his way to capturing the Ultimate Fighter crown. Not bad for a 25-year-old from Spokane, Washington.

After defeating Anton Kuivanen at UFC 157 in his first post-TUF fight in the UFC, Chiesa is now 9-0 as a professional (with seven of those wins by submission inside the first two rounds) and he takes his undefeated record into the cage this weekend in a lightweight battle against Jorge Masvidal that headlines the FX prelims.

It’s obvious the UFC sees the tremendous talents that Chiesa has, and wants to test him against a tough opponent like Masvidal. And it’s a fight that, if he wins, will move Chiesa up from the list of TUF winners who never amount to much to that rare class of TUF winners who have a legitimate shot of holding a UFC title.

Look for Chiesa to use the hometown crowd to his advantage this weekend as he attempts to overcome the odds yet again and take out the far-more experienced Masvidal. And if he does, look for Chiesa to be fighting someone in the top 10 in his next fight, something which seemed unthinkable just over a year ago when the scraggly, lanky, Cody McKenzie-lookalike who no one ever gave a chance first appeared on the UFC’s reality show.

Aaron Riley’s Last Stand 

It’s possible that one of the pioneers of the sport will be competing in his last mixed martial arts bout this weekend, as veteran Aaron Riley returns from a two-year injury layoff to take on Justin Salas on the Facebook prelims of UFC on FOX 8.

The owner of a 30-13-1 MMA record, Riley has been competing in the sport since 1997, and despite having an up-and-down career he’s somehow managed to keep a job with the top fighting promotion in the world. It’s a testament to the excitement he always delivers in the cage and his will to overcome injuries and continue on with his career when it likely made more sense to retire, especially following broken jaws in his fights against Ross Pearson and Tony Ferguson.

Whenever I look at a fighter’s record and I see that they’ve fought for promotions like HOOKnSHOOT (watch his epic fights with Yves Edwards if you haven’t already), Shooto and PRIDE, I automatically develop a higher level of respect for them. These are the types of fighters who set the table for the thousands that followed. It’s guys like Riley who are the reason that many young men and women around the world realized they could make a living out of doing what they love to do — being a mixed martial artist.

Hopefully it’s not the end of Riley’s career this weekend, but with another loss, his UFC record would drop to 3-6 and that’s likely not good enough to stick around any longer. For a guy who first appeared in the Octagon at UFC 37 in 2002, Riley has nothing to be ashamed of if this is truly the last time we see him fight. But let’s not count him out just yet.