UFC Flyweight Title Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott

Round 1
Referee Herb Dean is the third man in the cage for tonight's 125-pound title fight, with judges Sal D'Amato, Junichiro Kamijo and Jeff Mullen scoring at cageside. Johnson hits a quick takedown in the center of the cage and cartwheel-passes the guard into a nifty armbar attempt. Elliott rolls into top position and stacks up to free the arm, then starts putting some short punches on the champion's face. As "Mighty Mouse" rolls underneath and starts to work back to his feet, Elliott jumps guard with a guillotine. Johnson moves to free himself, and Elliott transitions to a brabo/D'arce choke. The choke looks very tight, but Johnson appears unconcerned and gives referee Dean a thumbs-up to show he's still awake. Elliott gives up on the choke, Johnson sweeps to top position, and suddenly it's the champ hunting for a guillotine choke. Elliott escapes the headlock and powers back to his feet, but the challenger is looking very tired now, leaning over to rest on his haunches. Elliott jams Johnson against the fence and throws a sequence of body punches, then a left hand to the chin which appears to drop Johnson. The champ springs back to his feet, only to be taken down by Elliott a few feet away from the fence. Elliott works from top position with 30 seconds left, now fishing for a topside guillotine. Elliott gives up the choke and grinds his elbow into Johnson's face for the final few seconds of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Elliott
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Elliott
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Elliott

Round 2
Elliott takes the center of the cage to start round two, while Johnson moves around the outside, dipping into range to pop the challenger with a few fast punches. Elliott backs up Johnson with a body kick, but Johnson bounces off the fence and changes levels, forcing Elliott to defend a takedown. Johnson plants his challenger at the base of the fence; Elliott rolls to his knees and Johnson tries to secure back-mount, then opts to work for a no-hooks rear-naked choke. Elliott slips free and puts his back on the ground, and Johnson winds up back in side control. Elliott kicks off the fence, trying to snare Johnson in a reverse triangle; Johnson stays compact in side control, bearing down on Elliott's chest, looking to set up a mounted crucifix. Elliott refuses to surrender his near arm, so Johnson leans across to the far side and works a kimura on the left arm. Johnson switches to a straight armbar, but it doesn't look like Elliott is in too much danger with the armlock. Elliott rolls to his knees, gets caught in a front headlock and drops to his back again. The sequence repeats, this time with Elliott powering back to his feet. Johnson stays glued to him, but Elliott snatches up a leg and completes a takedown, and it's the challenger who finishes the round on top.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 3
Johnson charges inside and catches hold of Elliott, then pulls him to the ground. In a flash, the champion attaches himself to Elliott's back and goes hunting for a rear-naked choke. Johnson switches to a no-hooks RNC, but Elliott gets his chin underneath, bellies out and scrambles to top position. Johnson sits up and drives on a single-leg, absorbing some punches in the process, including a few which look to land to the back of the champion's head. Elliott eventually cedes the takedown, putting Johnson back on top in half guard with more than half the round remaining. Elliott takes some short punches to the face before he's able to adjust off the fence and put Johnson back in full guard. Elliott throws up a triangle, easily shucked aside by Johnson, who continues to maintain top position as they enter the final 80 seconds of the round. Johnson leans right to left across Elliott's body in side control, driving short elbows into the side of the challenger's head.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 4
Johnson shoots a long single-leg shot but still manages to drive Elliott to the ground near the fence. A few seconds later, Mighty Mouse is in side control, dropping punches on the challenger's head. Johnson moves briefly to north-south position, then back to side control. Elliott sits up against the fence, and Johnson slips around to the back, where he threatens the challenger with another no-hooks rear-naked choke. Elliott grimaces but doesn't seem to be in danger of going to sleep, and after a tense couple of seconds, he peels away Johnson's grip. Johnson remains in side control with half the round left to fight, and now he traps Elliott in the mounted crucifix. Five or six speedy punches fall on Elliott's face before he's able to free himself from the dangerous position. Down to 90 seconds now, Elliott tries to sit up and escape, then has to lie flat on the canvas again when the champ threatens with another back-take. Johnson tries a kimura from cross-side control, wrenching Elliott's left arm behind his back, but Elliott won't tap. Johnson switches to an armbar, but Elliott escapes by grabbing hold of a leg and driving forward, somehow finishing the round on his feet.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 5
Johnson lands yet another takedown in the opening minute of round five. Elliott sits up and nearly has his back taken before Johnson flattens him out on the mat again. Back to side control goes Johnson, who's having trouble mounting any offense with Elliott tangling him up from the bottom. Referee Dean calls for action as the champion hits his first prolonged stretch of inactivity. Two minutes remain in the bout, which seems all but sealed for Demetrious Johnson. The champ continues to work from Elliott's half guard, stretching out his left arm to work on another kimura or straight armbar attempt. Elliott reels the arm back in and now starts working for a kimura of his own from the bottom. Johnson goes to his knees to stack up, then transitions beautifully into an armbar attempt of his own. Elliott winds up on his back again, with Johnson in side control, hunting for an arm until the final horn.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Johnson (49-46 Johnson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson (49-46 Johnson)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Johnson (49-46 Johnson)

The Official Result
Demetrious Johnson def. Tim Elliott via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-46, 49-46) R5 5:00

UFC Flyweight Title Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi

Round 1
Canadian referee Yves Lavigne is the third man in the cage for tonight’s championship bout, with judges Richard Bertrand, Sal D’Amato and David Therien scoring at cageside. Horiguchi opens with a kick to the body, and Johnson switches stances a few times before settling in orthodox. Back to southpaw goes Johnson, landing a reaching right hand on the backpedaling challenger. Johnson lands a couple kicks on Horiguchi’s lead leg, then stumbles backward as he dodges a combination. Johnson catches a body kick and rushes Horiguchi against the fence, dropping levels to work an ankle pick. Horiguchi spreads out his base and stays standing, so Johnson comes back up to pin him on the cage with an underhook. Horiguchi raises a knee to defend body shots and soon escapes the clinch. Back to the center go the flyweights. Johnson closes the distance, moving Horiguchi toward the cage again, and lands a few speedy right hands upstairs before hitting a double-leg takedown. With 90 seconds remaining, Johnson has Horiguchi seated at the base of the fence, where he pops the challenger with a pair of shoulder shrugs to the face. Horiguchi stands and disengages with 55 seconds on the clock, then puts a hard kick on Johnson’s lead leg. Horiguchi leaps into range with a flying knee and sprawls as Johnson tries to hit another double.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 2
Johnson rushes Horiguchi to start round two, landing a flying knee behind a flurry of punches. Horiguchi retaliates with a burst of his own, a left hook touching the jaw of “Mighty Mouse” before Horiguchi finishes with a clean jump knee. Horiguchi puts Johnson on the fence, reaps a leg and trips him to the ground. The challenger tries to wrap up Johnson’s legs but can’t keep him down. Johnson stands and gets socked in the face with a left hand before Horiguchi sprints away. Horiguchi cuts angles on the outside now, ducking under a punch but succumbing to a body lock takedown behind it. Johnson tries to pull out Horiguchi’s legs and pass to mount, but Horiguchi finds the space to stand up. Johnson keeps him near the fence for a few seconds until he can change levels for another takedown with 2:00 on the clock. Horiguchi posts and stands, taking a knee to the chest along the way. The flyweights dash to the other side of the cage, where Johnson scores another easy takedown. Again, Horiguchi is able to stand up, and the 125ers move back to the center. They only stay there for a few seconds, then it’s another takedown from “Mighty Mouse” up against the fence. Johnson stands to drive a knee into Horiguchi’s chest, allowing the Japanese fighter to stand as well. Horiguchi catches a body kick but can’t capitalize, as Johnson catches him with an overhand right on the other side and scores one more takedown to close out the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 3
Johnson ducks a punch, slips around the back to wrap up Horiguchi and then releases. The champ shoots for a long takedown against the fence and gets sprawled on, and Horiguchi circles off the fence one minute into the round. Johnson catches up with him a few seconds later and gets the takedown he wanted. Horiguchi sits up at the fence, then stands and tries to pry away Johnson’s hands. Horiguchi breaks free and catches Johnson chasing after him with a looping left hand on the ear. Halfway through the round now, Johnson tags Horiguchi with a punching combination, drops levels and grounds him with a takedown a few feet from the fence. Horiguchi holds Johnson in half guard, pushes him back to full guard, but Johnson jumps right over to side control with 90 seconds on the clock. Johnson seems to be thinking about a kimura on the far side, can’t trap the arm and instead socks Horiguchi in the face with a couple short punches. Johnson gets a mounted crucifix with 30 seconds to go and drops some peppering left hands on Horiguchi’s head to end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 4
Johnson opens the championship rounds with a kick to Horiguchi’s midsection, and the challenger comes back with a right hand over the top. Horiguchi sprawls on a shot, catches a kick from Johnson but can’t capitalize. Johnson closes the distance and grabs a standing rear-waist lock, then moves to the front as Horiguchi puts his back against the fence. They break from the clinch, Johnson comes back grabbing for a single, but Horiguchi defends. The next takedown attempt from Johnson lands, but Horiguchi is quickly back on his feet, jogging back to the center. A low kick from Johnson takes out the lead leg of Horiguchi, who stands a split second before Johnson can catch up to him. Johnson slips under a punch to grab another single-leg, but this time Horiguchi stands and reverses to push the champ against the fence. The flyweights disengage, Horiguchi now bleeding from his nose. Horiguchi swings into range with a noticeably slower right hand, tries to hold Johnson on the fence but cannot. Horiguchi finishes the round leaping at Johnson with a knee and gets cut off by a body kick.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Johnson
TJ De Santis scores the round 10-9 Johnson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Johnson

Round 5
Johnson hits a quick takedown in the middle of the cage, then passes to side control as Horiguchi tries an ineffective rubber guard. Horiguchi throws up leg scissors, but it’s only a few seconds before Johnson pops his head free and passes completely to the challenger’s right side. Horiguchi tries to twist around and put Johnson in guard but winds up on his belly, then on his knees as the flyweights work over to the fence. Johnson tries to take the back, so Horiguchi stands up, and now they’re back in the middle with 3:30 on the clock. Johnson grabs a leg and scores another easy takedown straight to side control. Johnson tries the kimura again, loses it and tries to take Horiguchi’s back as they stand. Horiguchi dashes away, but once again Johnson catches up to him and drags him to the mat. Horiguchi is breathing heavy, sitting up against a cage post as Johnson controls his legs. Johnson flattens him out and moves to side control on Horiguchi’s left, then tries to take his back when the challenger sits up. The cage blocks Johnson’s progress, so he stands up and drills Horiguchi with a knee to the chest. Horiguchi stands with under one minute remaining and walks forward on Johnson, who dumps him to the ground one last time. Johnson gets a crucifix from side control and starts dropping unfettered right hands. With seconds remaining, Johnson switches to an armbar, extends Horiguchi’s right arm all the way and coaxes a tap just before the final horn sounds.

The Official Result
Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi via Submission (Armbar) R5 4:59