Stevie Ray managed to earn a majority decision win over Michael Johnson today at UFC Fight Night 162 in Singapore, with a strong final round helping him win over the judges.
Round One:
Low kick for Ray. Now a leg kick for Johnson. Ray with another of his own. Leg kick for Johnson and then immediately sprawls well to defend a takedown attempt.
Low leg kick from Ray. Nice exchange of punches at close range. Right hook for Ray. Now an outside leg kick.
Body punch for Johnson. Right hand for him. Leg kick for Ray. Now a reaching right hand.
Superman punch from Johnson. Now a punch to the body. Head kick attempt from Ray is blocked.
Flurry of hooks from Johnson as Ray steps into range. Leg kick for Johnson. Now a punch to the body. Jab connects for Johnson.
Grazing left and right hooks from Ray. Body kick for Johnson. Now a right hand that snaps Ray’s head back momentarily.
Inside leg kick for Ray. Clipping left hook for Ray. Outside leg kick for the Scottish fighter. Final right hand for Johnson to end the round.
Round Two:
Right hand counter for Ray. double jab for Johnson. Leg kick for Ray, but gets caught with a counter punch.
Inside leg kick for Johnson. Another double jab for Johnson. Now one to the body. Head kick attempt from Ray doesn’t find the mark.
Counter left hand for Ray. left hand lands for Johnson. Punches from Ray followed up by a leg kick.
Inside leg kick for Johnson. Flurry comes up short from him. Left hand gets through for Ray. leg kick for Ray, but Johnson tags him with a couple of punches in return.
Leg kick for Johnson. Ray attempts a takedown, but Johnson is very fast with his takedown defense.
Ray looking to exchange, but his face is reddening here with bloody coming from the nose and swelling to his cheek.
leg kick for Johnson. Flurry from Johnson, but only a couple of those punches landed.
Inside leg kick for Johnson. Right hand for him. Leg kick for Ray. Spinning back kick to the upper body from Johnson.
Right hook counter from Johnson as the round comes to a close.
Round Three:
Leg kick from Ray. Superman punch attempt misses. Straight left from Johnson. Overhand left now from him.
Leg kick for Ray. Double jab from Johnson. Good left from Ray, but then a counter connects for Johnson.
Body punch from Johnson. Ray attempts a takedown, but Johnson is away from him in a flash.
Grazing right hand from Ray and then a leg kick. Another leg kick for him. One-two from Johnson.
Ray misses and Johnson counters with a three-piece combo.
Ray suddenly in on a takedown attempt and he catches Johnson off-guard with that and gets him down. Ray in half-guard up against the cage.
Ray starts to land punches to the head and Johnson’s just covering up. He tries to stand, but Ray takes his back with two minutes to go.
Ray being patient here as he hopes to set up a rear-naked choke attempt.
Johnson trying to escape, but then has to defend the choke possibility again. Johnson again trying to improve position, but then as he gets towards his knees Ray starts posturing up and blasting him with hard ground and pound.
Johnson back on his back with Ray landing more punches. Big elbows from Ray now as he tries to finish the fight in the last 10 seconds, but Johnson survives.
Decision:
Good fight then and though Johnson’s striking looked sharp, Ray’s big takedown and ground and pound in the third makes this an interesting one to score.
The judges have made their decision and it’s Ray who gets the nod by majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28).
