In the UFC Moncton main event, Michael Johnson and Artem Lobov threw hands for the majority of the fight. There weren’t a ton of major moments in the bout as each man put on calculated performances. At the end of the day, it was Johnson who walked away with the decision win. Johnson, who now enjoys a two-fight winning streak, stepped in on short notice to replace the removed Zubaira Tukhugov.
**It should be noted that Johnson missed weight, clocking in at 147 pounds.
Lobov took the center of the cage, forcing Johnson to work from the outside. Johnson was quite calculated, waiting for the right times to attack on the inside. Lobov wasn’t over-aggressive, standing his ground in the center and taking what was given to him to make a somewhat sticky opening round.
Lobov re-took the center of the cage in the second round, with Johnson pumping his jab from the outside. Johnson landed his southpaw left on a few occasions, one of which prompted Lobov to signal to the crowd that it didn’t hurt. Lobov started to pick up the pace towards the end of the round, throwing a lot more volume than he did in the opening round.
Johnson opted to take the center in the final frame, not allowing Lobov to back him up. The left hand of Johnson found a home multiple times, but it was the jab that caused Lobov to drop down to one knee for a second at one point. In a true veteran move, Johnson blasted a late takedown to put Lobov on his back for the closing moments of the fight.
