Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight knockout artists Dustin Poirier and Michael Johnson clashed last night (Sept. 17, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 94 inside State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. The lightweight bout was part of the main card of the UFC Fight Night 94 event at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. It aired on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass. Here's a recap of the event, including results and highlights.
Michael Johnson vs. Dustin Poirier
The UFC lightweight division has a new title contender in Michael Johnson. It didn't take long for Johnson to show the world he means business in this division, knocking out Poirier after 95 seconds.
In the first real exchange of punches, Johnson’s speed advantage was evident, as his combination flew out far quicker than his opponent’s punches. While Johnson looked extremely sharp, Poirier didn’t seem too concerned and looked fairly calm.
However, that comfort may have backfired, as Poirier stepped into a combination too tall. Johnson took a quick step back, planted, and landed flush with a counter hook-cross. It shut his opponent’s lights off. Last night, Michael Johnson flattened his opponent inside a round.
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This was a spectacular performance by Johnson. He looked quick and deadly from the start of the bout, and it was clear that any clean blows from either man could drastically change the fight. Johnson landed first. Even before those counter punches, Johnson was fighting smart.
By working to establish his jab and kicks, Johnson set himself up for success if the fight did go into the later rounds. Following this victory, Johnson deserves a fighter in the title mix. A rematch with Edson Barboza could be a lot of fun, while a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov would also make sense.
Poirier entered this bout with a speed disadvantage, but there’s really nothing to be done about that. The Louisiana-native tried to walk his opponent down, but he was a bit frustrated by his opponent’s movement early on. He never really got a chance to make adjustments.
That said, Poirier lost this bout in part due to a technical error. He tends to overextend on his uppercuts, but he’s been able to get away with it because few fighters are willing to plant and exchange with “The Diamond.” Against a sharp kickboxer willing to take that chance, Poirier instead ate hard counter punches while in a poor position to absorb them. Strong chin or no, that’s a recipe for a knockout loss.
Johnson's win makes the lightweight division's outlook even murkier, as the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rafael Dos Anjos, Tony Ferguson, and even Conor McGregor are all in contention for a fight with champion Eddie Alvarez. While Dos Anjos and Ferguson's bout on November 5 will eliminate one fighter from immediate contention, the UFC has a lot to think about over the coming months and in particular, what they're going to do for the UFC 205 card in New York.
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UFC Fight Night 94: Poirier vs. Johnson (Full Fight Highlights)
Derek Brunson vs. Uriah Hall
While the stoppage may have come a little early, it was clear Brunson had the edge on Hall and the finish was inevitable. Hall seemed aware and able to fight once referee Herb Dean separated them, but Brunson was still landing bombs on Hall and had him in mounted position on the ground.
Evan Dunham vs. Rick Glenn
There wasn't a spectacular knockout or submission in this bout, but it was a fight to the bell between Dunham and Glenn. It was the first time in Glenn's career that he made the walk to the Octagon on Saturday night, and he certainly earned himself more fights in the foreseeable future with the way he stood up and took shots.
For Dunham, it was a solid win against a well-respected opponent and it will be interesting to see if he can command a Top 10 fight the next time he signs up to fight. He's now on a four-fight win streak since his knockout loss to Edson Barboza back in 2014.
Related UFC Fight Night 94 results: Evan Dunham tops Rick Glenn by decision in entertaining brawl.
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Dunham (18-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) defeated Glenn (18-4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) by scores of 30-27 on all three judges' scorecards. While Dunham was never truly in trouble, Glenn took punishment admirably and never stopped firing back with his own shots. By the third round, both men were throwing wild punches to the appreciation of the crowd.
Chas Skelly vs. Maximo Blanco
Skelly and Blanco both came out their respective corners looking for a flying kick, but it was Skelly who connected with Blanco's stomach, knocking him to the floor and immediately taking his back. In what was the fastest finish via submission in the UFC Featherweight Division's history, Skelly has proven himself to be a better fighter than he showed the last step he stepped into the Octagon in a loss against Darren Elkins in UFC 196.
With the finish, Skelly improves to 16-2 (5-2, UFC) and may be in the position to command a Top 15 fight by the end of the year.
UFC Fight Night 94 Results
Here is a summary of the official fight results from the event:
- Michael Johnson defeated Dustin Poirier by KO (1:35 of Round 1)
- Derek Brunson defeated Uriah Hall by TKO (strikes) (1:41 of Round 1)
- Evan Dunham defeated Rick Glenn by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Roan Carneiro defeated Kenny Robertson by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
- Islam Makhachev defeated Chris Wade via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Chas Skelly defeated Maximo Blanco via submission (anaconda choke) (0:19 of Round 1)