UFC on Fox 8 has concluded, and the flyweight title remained with Demetrious Johnson.
“Mighty Mouse” had a dominant showing against a strong contender in John Moraga. Johnson was elusive and fast on the feet and took Moraga down at will. He was able to…
UFC on Fox 8 has concluded, and the flyweight title remained with Demetrious Johnson.
“Mighty Mouse” had a dominant showing against a strong contender in John Moraga. Johnson was elusive and fast on the feet and took Moraga down at will. He was able to nab the submission victory in the final round for the latest finish in company history.
The co-main event wasn’t as impressive.
Rory MacDonald defeated Jake Ellenberger by utilizing his jab to create distance. He kept the powerful puncher at range and was able to control the action. Ellenberger got a takedown, but it was far too late to make an impact.
All-in-all, the fight card delivered. The UFC continued its good year with another card filled with excellent talent.
These are eight memorable moments from Saturday night’s event.
It’s hard to believe that Robbie Lawler is only 31 years old. After all, he’s been a professional mixed martial artist since 2001, putting together a career record of 21-9-1. His 21st victory came on Saturday night in an almost-Knockout of …
It’s hard to believe that Robbie Lawler is only 31 years old. After all, he’s been a professional mixed martial artist since 2001, putting together a career record of 21-9-1. His 21st victory came on Saturday night in an almost-Knockout of the Night performance at UFC on Fox 8.
The fight, against Bobby Voelker, was Lawler’s second fight in his second stint with the UFC. Lawler’s previous go-round with the promotion ran from May 2002 through October 2004. During that time, Lawler went 4-3. Lawler rejoined the UFC when Strikeforce was shuttered after the UFC purchased the organization.
Lawler came back to the UFC with a record of 1-3 in his previous four fights, and he was given a tough fight to welcome him back to the fold when he was matched up against Josh Koscheck. Lawler shocked many by knocking out Koscheck at the three-minute, 57-second mark of Round 1 in that February 2013 bout. That knockout earned Lawler a Knockout of the Night bonus and a top-10 ranking in the welterweight division.
For his next fight, Lawler was originally matched up against TarecSaffiedine, but an injury to Saffiedine prevented that fight from taking place. Voelker came in on short notice and took the fight. Voelker’s hopes of playing the spoiler were dashed very early in the second round when Lawler landed a vicious head kick that put Voelker on his back.
At the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said there was some debate over the Knockout of the Night bonus, but in the end, the award went to Melvin Guillard.
What do you think? Did the correct fighter get the bonus money?
UFC on Fox 8 came and went Saturday at the KeyArena in Seattle, and several competitors went above and beyond, earning a little extra cash for their troubles in the form of Fight Night bonuses.
Highlighting the card, as well as the Fight Night b…
UFC on Fox 8 came and went Saturday at the KeyArena in Seattle, and several competitors went above and beyond, earning a little extra cash for their troubles in the form of Fight Night bonuses.
Highlighting the card, as well as the Fight Night bonuses, was flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. The top 125-pounder topped John Moraga in the main event of the evening, finishing the fight with an improbable fifth-round submission.
He took home an extra $50,000 by winning the Submission of the Night award, stealing that honor from Jorge Masvidal—the Strikeforce veteran tapped Michael Chiesa on the preliminary card.
The other stoppage award, the Knockout of the Night, went to lightweight Melvin Guillard, who blasted Mac Danzig with strikes on the undercard to earn the finish. Guillard knocked his opponent down with a hook and finished the contest with some brutal hammerfists.
“The Young Assassin” banked $50,000 for the KO.
The final Fight Night bonus went to a pair of fighters—the two men responsible for putting on the Fight of the Night.
Now, the card wasn’t riddled with exhilarating contests, but Ed Herman vs. Trevor Smith turned out to be a highly entertaining affair.
Herman, the favorite, and Smith battled back and forth for all three rounds in a fight featuring several brutal exchanges. It was quite amazing that both of these men survived the war.
But they did, and each scored $50,000 for his efforts.
The Fight Night bonuses will be released to all four fighters after the drug tests come back for the UFC on Fox 8 card. Any fighter who fails the drug test will not receive a Fight Night bonus.
UFC on Fox 8 went down Saturday night from Key Arena in the jewel of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Wash.
At the top of the card, flyweight dazzler Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson defends his flyweight title—in his home state, …
UFC on Fox 8 went down Saturday night from Key Arena in the jewel of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Wash.
At the top of the card, flyweight dazzler Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson defends his flyweight title—in his home state, and just days after his wife gave birth to their first child—against the dangerous, if relatively unheralded, John Moraga.
The main card also featured a possible No. 1 contender match in the welterweight division between five-tool phenom Rory MacDonald and heavy-hitting veteran Jake Ellenberger.
Here’s a look back at all four fights on the nationally broadcast portion of the card. They are ranked in order of quality and overall excitingness. It’s a very scientific process.
All in all, UFC on Fox 8 was a fairly standard fight card—Seattle fans enjoyed some brutal knockouts and endured some drawn-out “technical” bouts.
Hopefully, those present in the arena—or at home, for that matter—didn’t blink, though,…
All in all, UFC on Fox 8 was a fairly standard fight card—Seattle fans enjoyed some brutal knockouts and endured some drawn-out “technical” bouts.
Hopefully, those present in the arena—or at home, for that matter—didn’t blink, though, because there were still plenty of high-speed highlights to the evening.
Melvin Guillard knocked Mac Danig senseless, only to be one-upped by Robbie Lawler’s savage head-kick knockout of Bobby Voelker. Of course, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson topped off the evening by taking contender John Moraga through his own version of “MMA 101″—the course ended with a textbook armbar in the final round.
Let’s take a look at the bigger picture for a moment, though. Saturday night’s fight card answered a few questions and certainly taught some valuable lessons.
Demetrious Johnson never stopped moving. He never does. John Moraga, the challenger, thought he was ready for it. He wasn’t. They never are.
Johnson controlled almost every one of the fight’s 23-plus minutes with his diverse striking and superlative ta…
Demetrious Johnson never stopped moving. He never does. John Moraga, the challenger, thought he was ready for it. He wasn’t. They never are.
Johnson controlled almost every one of the fight’s 23-plus minutes with his diverse striking and superlative takedowns. It looked like the flyweight champion was on his way to yet another decision victory, which would have been his fourth in a row. Johnson exploded for an armbar submission in the final minutes of the fight, though, bending Moraga’s elbow with a brutal joint lock.
Once again, he defied expectations.
The genius of Johnson is in the variety of his techniques. He utilized punches, knees, kicks and lightning-fast wrestling moves. Mighty Mouse always seemed to choose the ideal weapon at the right time. Johnson was able to switch gears on a dime. It was as dominant a title defense as we’ve seen in recent memory.
Johnson, of course, wasn’t the only big winner on the night, although sometimes it felt like it. It was a night full of dull fights, production mistakes and fans dressed as empty chairs. But it wasn’t all bad news. There were winners and losers up and down the card. Let’s explore them together.
It’s hard to believe that Robbie