Demetrious Johnson could have coasted for the final round, knowing he was comfortably ahead on the scorecards and easily on his way to retaining the UFC flyweight title.
Johnson wanted more. So even though it put him at risk, Johnson made sure he finished with a flourish.
“He couldn’t have fought a more perfect, on point fight tonight,” UFC President Dana White said. “He just looked amazing.”
Johnson successfully defended his title on Saturday night, using an armbar on John Moraga late in the fifth round for a submission victory before a partisan hometown crowd. Making the second defense of the flyweight crown, Johnson controlled most of the fight, then ended it at 3:43 of the fifth round, bending Moraga’s right arm to the point referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
Johnson (18-2-1) leaped to his feet with four spinning kicks in the center of the ring to celebrate his title defense.
“Even though I was ahead on the scorecards, I’ve never just relaxed and just coasted by,” Johnson said. “My job is to finish and to push the pace. I just took it and so happened it happened.”
