UFC on Fox 8 results: Demetrious Johnson breaks record in main event

By Case Keefer (contact)

Saturday, July 27, 2013 | 8:20 p.m.

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson could teach his mixed martial arts peers an important lesson — showing is better than telling.

While most fighters claim constant improvement, “Mighty Mouse” demonstrates it. Since dropping to 125 pounds for the division’s debut a year ago, Johnson has gotten noticeably better in each of his five fights.

The 26-year-old hit a career high Saturday in the main event of UFC on Fox 8 in Seattle. Johnson completed his first win by stoppage in the octagon, submitting John Moraga at 3:43 of the fifth round.

“It’s just a sign of things to come,” Johnson said between acrobatic moves to celebrate his second title defense while still in the octagon. “It’s just a combination of all the hard work I’ve been doing.”

Johnson’s victory snapped the record for latest finish in UFC history — previously held by Anderson Silva for his first win against Chael Sonnen. But unlike Silva, Johnson’s was unnecessary.

He had beaten Moraga in every round, taking down the former All-American wrestler 11 times, and repeatedly threatening submissions. A unanimous decision in his favor was less than two minutes away when Johnson locked in the deciding kimura.

UFC President Dana White showered praise on Johnson for never letting up. He wished he could do the same for the co-main event.

Instead of the firefight most anticipated, welterweights Rory MacDonald and Jake Elllenberger were mostly cautious in their grudge match. MacDonald won a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) by neutralizing Ellenberger with his jab.

“That wasn’t my game plan, but I accomplished what I needed to do,” MacDonald said. “I think I’m a better fighter than him. I definitely want to fight again before the end of the year. I don’t really have an opponent in mind, but we’ll see what doors open.”

White was receptive to the idea of MacDonald facing the winner of a rematch between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann, scheduled for Aug. 28 in Indianapolis.

He didn’t speak on Johnson’s future, but the champion hinted a possible desire to move back to bantamweight for a bout against the division’s title holder.

“I think it’s about time to talk about the light-weight classes doing superfights,” Johnson said on the televised aftershow. “It’s not always Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and GSP. I think I did pretty good in the bantamweight division in 2011, and I’ve improved much more since then.”

That’s more than words. Johnson proved it was true in Seattle.

Look below to find the rest of the results from UFC on Fox 8.

Re-focused by being back in the UFC, Robbie Lawler is on a win streak for the first time in five years. Lawler landed a head kick to knock out Bobby Voelker 24 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout.

Liz Carmouche defeated Jessica Andrade by TKO at 3:57 of the second round in their women’s bantamweight bout. Carmouche improved to 1-1 in the UFC after losing to Ronda Rousey in the promotion’s inaugural female fight.

Jorge Masvidal came back from a first-round knockdown to finish Michael Chiesa in front of a hostile crowd. Masvidal submitted Chiesa, a Seattle native, with a d’arce choke at 4:59 of the second round.

Tim Means came on strong, but it was a little bit too late against Danny Castillo in a lightweight bout. Castillo won a unanimous decision over Means, taking the first two rounds on all three scorecards before dropping the last one.

Melvin Guillard, loser of four of five fights before Saturday, declared he was back and that no one at lightweight could beat him at his best. That claim might be high on braggadocio, but Guillard knocked out Mac Danzig at 2:47 of the second round in Seattle.

Daron Cruickshank and Yves Edwards made it four straight split-decision verdicts on the preliminary card. In a particularly odd set of scores, one judge sided with Edwards in every round while the other two awarded Cruickshank all of them to give “The Detroit Superstar” a split decision.

The only two middleweights on the card both supplied power, but Ed Herman edged Trevor Smith on volume. In an all-out striking battle, Herman got a split-decision nod (30-27, 29-28, 27-30) over Smith.

Germaine de Randamie boosted her profile in her UFC debut against a more recognizable women’s bantamweight veteran. De Randamie fought through several takedowns to defeat Julie Kedzie by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-290.

Justin Salas picked apart Aaron Riley in a lightweight bout, earning a split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) in a fight that didn’t appear as close as the judges indicated.

A gritty underdog prevailed in the opening bout of the night, as Yaotzin Meza submitted John Albert by rear naked choke at 2:49 of the second round in a bantamweight bout.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.