Aljamain Sterling got back to winning ways tonight at UFC Fight Night 128 by handing Brett Johns his first ever loss via a unanimous decision verdict.
Round One:
Body kick for Sterling. He misses another kick and Johns unleashes a few short punches. Leg kick for Sterling. Body kick again from Sterling that’s almost caught by Johns.
Nice right hand gets through for Johns. Front kick upstairs from Sterling just misses. Head kick from Johns is blocked. Hard kick from Sterling.
Sterling continues with his strategy from range, landing another body kick. Now a leg kick and moves into the clinch looking for a takedown. However, as they go to the mat it’s Johns who ends up on top. Sterling manages to scramble back on top though.
Johns has his back to the cage and manages to stand up, but Sterling keeps him pressed their in the clinch. knee strikes to the body from Sterling as Johns manages to break free.
Body kick for Sterling. Front kick to the body for him. Another kick to the midsection lands. Johns tries for a single leg takedown, but though Sterling goes to his back he’s looking for a guillotine choke and holds the position until the end of the round.
Round Two:
Back to the body kicks immediately for Sterling. He moves around on the outside to present a difficult target for Johns to attack.
Nice knee to the body from Johns. He looks for a takedown, but Sterling manages to stuff it. They slowly work back to their feet with Johns still trying to work for a takedown against the cage.
They move apart and Sterling is suddenly swinging hard and lands several strikes that appear to have Johns hurt. However, he digs in and starts to fire back, landing a hard strike of his own.
Now Sterling tries for a single-leg, but isn’t successful. He gives up on it and goes back to striking, but then tries again for a takedown and this time lands it.
Johns uses the cage to get back to his feet again as Sterling remains in the clinch looking for more potential opportunities to attempt a takedown.
Knees to the body from Sterling and then the ref opts to break them apart and they reset in the center of the Octagon.
Jab lands for Sterling and Johns is looking to strike too. Nice front kick from Sterling. Johns tries a couple of spinning attacks, but doesn’t land anything meaningful.
Round Three:
Body kick for Sterling. Right hand for Johns. Another body kick for Sterling and then narrowly avoids punches on the return.
Sterling tries for a single-leg, but Johns stays upright for now. However, against the cage he does land a takedown. Johns on his knees though and able to stand.
Sterling looking to climb onto Johns back. He gives up on that for now and opts to remain in the clinch. Sterling continues to work against the cage as the clock ticks down. Less than half the round remaining now. Sterling with a few knees to the legs. The ref steps in and separates the two.
Johns trying to land something meaningful, but Sterling goes for a single-leg. He doesn’t get it, but just goes straight back into the clinch against the cage.
This time Johns manages to escape though. Final minute and Johns is pressing forward trying to make something happen. An attempt to land a takedown fails, but moments later Sterling lands one of his own. He moves onto Johns back and starts landing punches. Johns trying to stand, but is unable to as further punches land. The round comes to an end with Sterling in the ascendancy.
Decision:
No real doubt about the winner here, with Sterling getting the better of the action on the feet and on the floor, emerging with a unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
