UFC On FOX 8: "Johnson vs Moraga" Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington tonight for UFC on FOX 8: “Johnson vs Moraga.” The event was headlined by a UFC Flyweight Championship bout between champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and challenger John Moraga.

In the co-feature, welterweight rivals Rory “Ares” MacDonald and Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger met in a potential top contender’s bout. Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche took on Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade in a women’s bantamweight bout. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

UFC Flyweight Championship

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson vs John Moraga

Round 1:
Moraga countered early strikes from Johnson with two body kicks. Johnson landed a one-two and an uppercut and Moraga answered with a right hook. Hard leg kicks landed for Moraga and he punched his way into a clinch. Johnson landed a short right hand on the way in, but Moraga held him against the cage. Johnson reversed and scored a takedown. He struck from the top and tried to pass Moraga’s half-guard. Moraga scrambled and Johnson kept him pinned down with a front headlock. He attempted a guillotine choke at the bell. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 2:
Moraga opened round two with a leg kick and Johnson took him down. Johnson moved to side control and tried to isolate Moraga’s left arm in a top-side crucifix. He landed knees to the body, but Moraga scrambled into an inverted triangle choke. Johnson escaped and returned to side control. He punched to the body to try to set up a Kimura.

Johnson let the submission attempt go and landed hard punches from the back. Moraga stood and Johnson suplexed him back down. Moraga scrambled and battled back to his feet. He landed short punches in close until Johnson took him back down into side control. Johnson tried for a straight armbar and a Kimura, and he finished the round with some nice ground and pound. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 3:
Johnson landed quick punches and leg kicks in round three. He sidestepped a knee from Moraga and took him down. Johnson moved to back control but lost the position. Moraga flurried on the feet and the fighters clinched. Johnson reversed a takedown in mid-air and locked on a Kimura from the top. Moraga defended well and the fight returned to the feet again. Moraga took Johnson down, but he could not keep him there for long. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 4:
An exchange of body kicks opened round four and Johnson took Moraga back down. He tried for a guillotine choke and then took Moraga’s back. Moraga stood and Johnson landed leg and body kicks. More kicks scored for Johnson and he followed with a knee to the body and a takedown. Moraga stood and Johnson punished him with knees. Johnson held Moraga down against the fence and landed punches and knees to the body. Moraga got up and landed a huge right hook, but a bloodied Johnson took him down. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 5:
Johnson kicked at Moraga’s lead leg in the final round and scored another takedown. Moraga briefly escaped to his feet, but Johnson took him down again. Moraga escaped a Brabo Choke and stood up, but he was promptly taken down once more. From side control, Johnson eyed a Kimura on Moraga’s right arm. He switched to an armbar to earn the late-fight submission win.

Winner: Demetrious Johnson by Submission (Armbar) at 3:43 of round five. He improves to 18-2-1 and remains the UFC Flyweight Champion.

 

Rory “Ares” MacDonald vs Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger

Round 1:
Both fighters were cautious in the opening 90 seconds. Ellenberger stood in the middle of the cage and jabbed. MacDonald returned jabs of his own and Ellenberger backed him up with two lead left hooks. MacDonald landed a series of jabs and Ellenberger quickly countered with a flurry in close that ended with an uppercut and a knee. MacDonald blocked a kick, but Ellenberger landed a left hook. MacDonald jabbed late in the round. 10-9 Ellenberger.

Round 2:
MacDonald opened round two with a front kick to the body and a head kick attempt. He landed a stiff jab, but Ellenberger landed a counter left hook. More jabs landed for MacDonald and he grazed Ellenberger’s chin with another front kick. Ellenberger tried for a takedown, but let it go and backed away after landing an uppercut.

MacDonald continued to score with jabs and Ellenberger stuffed a takedown. Both men landed knees in close and MacDonald partially landed a head kick. Ellenberger rushed in with a right hook, but he was unable to land anything cleanly. MacDonald kept his distance as time expired and the crowd booed the lack of action. 10-9 MacDonald.

Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of front kicks to the body. MacDonald stuck to his jab and mixed in occasional head kicks. A one-two landed for Ellenberger and MacDonald replied with another front kick. Ellenberger landed a left hook and MacDonald slipped while throwing a kick. He got back to his feet and continued to score with jabs and front kicks. Ellenberger rushed forward with punches and took MacDonald down. MacDonald countered with an omoplata. 10-9 MacDonald, barely.

Winner: Rory MacDonald by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-0.

 

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler vs “Vicious” Bobby Voelker

Round 1:
Both fighters threw lead hooks in the opening minute and Voelker landed a leg kick. Lawler answered with a body kick and he took Voelker down. Voelker worked back to his feet, but Lawler cut him badly on the bridge of the nose with strikes in close. Lawler landed an uppercut and Voelker circled away. Big punches were exchanged and both landed right hands.

Lawler attempted a head kick and Voelker blocked it. A second head kick landed for Lawler and he followed with a flying knee and a step-in elbow. Voelker landed a body kick, but Lawler continued to walk him down with punches. He landed another kick to the upper body and attempted a second flying knee before the bell. 10-9 Lawler.

Round 2:
After a brief exchange in round two, Lawler landed a devastating head kick that sent Voelker crashing backwards to the canvas. The bout was immediately stopped, giving Lawler another big UFC victory.

Winner: Robbie Lawler by KO (Head Kick) at 0:24 of round two. He improves to 21-9-0, 1 NC.

 

Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche vs Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade

Round 1:
Andrade caught a kick in the opening seconds, but Carmouche pulled her leg free and secured a takedown near the cage wall. Andrade scrambled up and the fighters battled for position against the fence. Carmouche avoided a guillotine choke attempt and tripped Andrade to the mat. Andrade once again scrambled to her feet and she slammed Carmouche down. Andrade punched from the top, then pulled guard with a guillotine choke. She kept Carmouche trapped in the hold until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Andrade.

Round 2:
Carmouche scored an emphatic takedown in round two and used short punches to set up a move to mount. She rained down punches until Andrade gave up her back. Carmouche landed more punches and locked on a rear-naked choke. Andrade survived and gave up mount again. She rolled and Carmouche secured back control once more. Carmouche landed numerous elbows and Andrade rolled once more. Carmouche continued to pepper Andrade with punches and elbows until the bout was stopped.

Winner: Liz Carmouche by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 3:57 of round two. She improves to 9-3-0.

 

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)