Michael Johnson put together a convincing unanimous decision victory over Darrius Flowers tonight at UFC Fight Night 236.
Round One:
Side kick from Flowers. He lands a calf kick. leg kick now. Flowers drives in for a double-leg, but Johnson stifles it comfortably.
side kick for Flowers. Now a calf kick. Another side kick to the body. Good body punch for Johnson. Heavy right hook from Flowers, but Johnson avoids it. Johnson with another body punch.
Johnson throwing hard to the body again. Now tries to land upstairs, then back to the body. Body kick for Flowers. Another to the midsection. Jabs landing now for Johnson.
Leg kick for Flowers. Johnson stalking forward, but not throwing too frequently yet. He does now land a couple of punches. Leg kick for Flowers. Back to the body for Johnson. Body kick for Flowers.
Inside calf kick from Johnson. Missed leg kick for Flowers. Grazing left for Johnson and then a right gets through.
Body punch for Johnson. Now a calf kick. Good left hand down the pipe. Missed punch but then a low kick for Johnson and then right as the round is about to end he drives in and lands a nice takedown.
Round Two:
Solid body punch for Johnson. He lands a few more. Johnson already much busier than he was early in the first and Flowers isn’t matching his pace for the time being.
Good punch for Johnson. Flowers lands one too though. Johnson works into the clinch but they soon break apart.
Good left hand for Johnson. Body punch for him. Low kick for Flowers. he lands a punch now and then tries to press forward looking for more.
Johnson lands to the body. Flowers in on a takedown, but Johnson does well to stay upright. Flowers presses him into the cage, but Johnson reverses the position. Low blow from Flowers, but Johnson is ok to continue.
They reset in the center of the Octagon. Johnson with a nice double-leg takedown. Johnson settles into Flowers full guard and starts softening him up with some body-head combos.
Elbow strike for Johnson now. Back to the body then another elbow upstairs. Flowers able to kick him away and stand up though.
Johnson looks for another takedown and gets it. He’s into side control and is looking for a possible arm-triangle, but there’s not enough time left in the round.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Johhnson. Right hand for Flowers. Missed winging hook from Flowers and Johnson is able to take advantage to bring him to the mat.
Johnson in half-guard and looking confident. He starts to work for a kimura but Flowers breaks free of that. Punch lands for him. Flowers trying to escape, but not able to for now. Flowers scrambles and Johnson follows and gets to side control.
Flowers gets him to full guard. Now Flowers goes for a triangle choke, but Johnson escapes that and remains on top.
Flowers able to get up now and immediately throws a big flying knee as Johnson is ducking for a takedown. Johnson only just steers clear of the worst of that and now it’s Flowers who is trying to go for a late finish here as he tries to work for a potential submission. Johnson able to get to a safer position though and rides out the final seconds of the fight.
Decision:
This was an assured performance from Johnson, working well to the body in the striking department while using his offensive wrestling nicely too in order to ensure a comfortable unanimous decision victory (30-27 x3).
