Demetrious Johnson put on another clinch tonight as he successfully defended his flyweight title by unanimous decision against John Dodson in their headlining rematch at UFC 191 in Las Vegas.
Round One:
The main event is underway. Both men lightning fast compared to the heavyweight co-main event we just saw. Johnson posturing in the opening minute.
Johnson lands a leg kick. Right hand connects too. Johnson in with a punch to the body. Right hand for Johnson lands then looses his balance momentarily.
Low leg kick from Dodson. Upper body kick for the champion. Johnson with an overhand right that doesn’t quite land. Johnson pushing the action so far.
Johnson looks to clinch, but Dodson lands a rapid-fire series of punches to the body in response. Left hand from Johnson now.
Johnson goes in on a low single attempt, but Dodson shows good balance and stays upright. Dodson clinches briefly and then separates.
Two punches land for Johnson to the head. Now he’s in on another takedown attempt, but it doesn’t work out. Johnson initiating most of the meaningful moments in this fight so far. Dodson lands a kick.
Johnson with a kick to the body. He tries to go upstairs, but doesn’t connect. He scores with a leg kick and Dodson gets one in return as the first round comes to a close.
Round Two:
Hard left hand to start from Dodson. Low leg kick from Johnson. He tries to go upstairs with a kick, but it’s blocked. Johnson upstairs with a punch and then a front kick to the body.
Left hand glances to the head of Dodson. Clinch from Johnson, but Dodson lands strikes and takes him to the mat. They’re back up quickly though and Johnson is right back to pressing the action.
Johnson catches a kick from Dodson. He’s trying to turn it into a takedown, but Dodson shows great balance again to stay upright.
They move apart and Johnson almost lands a head kick. Two leg kicks for Dodson. Johnson just short on the head kick again.
As Johnson moves in Dodson almost hip tosses the champion to the mat. Front kick to the body from ‘Mighty Mouse’. Right hand lands for Johnson as he comes into the clinch. Dodson reverses the position though and lands a couple of knees. Johnson with a few short punches in return.
Right hand for Johnson after they separate then tries a couple of high kicks and another right hand. Dodson into the clinch again and pushes Johnson to the mat, but it’s more of a stumble than anything.
Big body kick now and Johnson trying upstairs again too. Dodson’s never quite there to receive it so far though. That’s the end of the round.
Round Three:
Both men circling each other to start the third. Leg kick from Dodson. Johnson in on a takedown, but again Dodson is defending well. They trade short punches against the cage.
After separating Johnson lands a solid body kick. Right hand connects a couple of times from Johnson. Johnson rushes into a single. It’s extemely fast, but Dodson just refuses to go down. Johnson continuing to work for it against the cage, but keeps getting denied. Beautiful spinning elbow from Johnson as he ditches the takedown.
Johnson with a combo of punches and kicks as he turns up the pressure. Johnson gets a hit to the groin and the ref wants to stop the fight to give him time to recover, but Johnson abruptly tells him to get out of his way – he wants no interruption!
Still Johnson remaining the more offensive fighter here. Johnson still undeterred on the takedown front and goes for another one. It doesn’t immediately pay off but he presses him to the cage and then does get it at last. Dodson back up, but Johnson takes him down again.
Dodson gets up and away for a moment, but Johnson pursues and is back into the clinch. Dodson lands a good knee to the body, but Johnson responds with offense of his own and then bursts into a flying knee attempt as the round ends. He’s having fun out there while Dodson’s not really getting a chance to fire on all cylinders.
Round Four:
dodson with a leg kick. Johnson motioning as if thinking about a takedown, but then opts for offense instead. He lands a good uppercut as he surges forward.
Dodson lands a kick. Johnson catches a kick and presses him up against the cage. Dodson reverses and then moves away. Johnson fires off a couple of punches to the head.
Right hand gets through for Johnson. Punch and then clinch from Johnson. Doesn’t last long though. Dodson with a punch.
Dodson barrels forward with a takedown as Johnson attempts a muay thai clinch and jumping knee. Dodson almost gets him to the mat, but he springs up immediately.
More clinch work and Dodson takes the lead in this dance against the cage. Action stalling from here and they break apart. Dodson with a clean right hand and Dodson clinches again.
Both men connect on the break, with Johnson following up with another solid punch. Now they are clinching on the other side of the cage and Johnson gets Dodson to the mat. ‘The Magician’ is back up. He puses Johnson away and takes a deep breath.
Final 10 seconds. Johnson sets himself and then lands a straight right hand. Dodson almost connects with a big punch just as the horn sounds.
Round Five:
Johnson with a leg kick. Dodson with one too, though both were light. Inside leg kick from Dodson and then to the outside.
Dodson lands a kick to the body. He snaps out the jab. Johnson tries for a takedown, but quickly bails out of it. Another body kick attempt from Dodson.
Johnson with a knee as he gets into the cageside clinch. This time Johnson is able to hoist Dodson up and bring him down to the mat. Dodson shifts over towards the cage and uses it to stand and get away.
Straight right for Johnson who’s never slowed down his pace all fight long. Another right connects for the champion. The right hand has also been there for him all fight long as so it is again.
Johnson with his latest single leg attempt, but no joy for now. Dodson peppers him with short punches and Johnson lands a couple of hard elbows, then changes to a double leg, hoists Dodson upwards and brings him down again. Dodson quickly back up though.
Left and a right score for Johnson. Dodson throws a combination and Johnson covers up just for a moment. Now they clinch and it’s Dodson who takes the lead. A few body punches from him, but he’ll need more than that to change the outcome of this fight.
Decision:
Johnson dictated the action from beginning to end here and there’s no doubt about the unanimous decision verdict here (49-46 x2, 50-45).
