Michael Johnson Ambushes Dustin Poirier in UFC Fight Night 94 Headliner

Michael Johnson did not look like a man on a two-fight losing streak. “The Menace” blew away American Top Team’s Dustin Poirier with first-round punches in the UFC Fight Night “Poirier vs. Johnson” headliner (online betting) on Saturday at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. Poirier (20-5, 12-4 UFC) succumbed to blows 95 seconds into round one, his run of four consecutive victories a thing of the past.Johnson (17-10, 9-6 UFC) hid behind his defenses and leveled Poirier with a blinding right hook-straight left combination. The 27-year-old Louisiana native hit the deck, where he was met with a savage ground-and-pound assault that left referee Dan Miragliotta no choice but to swoop in and call for the stoppage. The loss was Poirier’s first at 155 pounds in more than six years and slowed his rise on the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight ladder. Related » UFC Hidalgo Round-by-Round Scoring Brunson Sinks Hall, Wins Fifth Straight Derek Brunson cut down “The Ultimate Fighter 17” finalist Uriah Hall with punches in the first round of their middleweight co-main event. Brunson (16-3, 7-1 UFC) brought it to a close 1:41 into round one, his winning streak now at five. The 32-year-old Jackson-Wink MMA standout has made himself a serious player at 185 pounds. The two middleweights spent a majority of their brief clash in the clinch. Once they separated, Brunson pushed forward and detonated a left hook on the two-time Ring of Combat champion’s chin. Hall (12-7, 5-5 UFC) collapsed where he stood and appeared to be coherent and defending himself from Brunson’s follow-up attack when referee Herb Dean made the decision to intervene.Resurgent Dunham Downs Glenn Evan Dunham spoiled the organizational debut of former World Series of Fighting champion Rick Glenn, as he pocketed a unanimous decision in their featured lightweight matchup. Dunham (18-6, 11-6 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27 marks from the judges. A short-notice fill-in for the injured Abel Trujillo, Glenn (18-4-1, 0-1 UFC) made the Eugene, Oregon, native earn it. Dunham was in his face from the outset and overwhelmed the underdog with high-output punching, intermittent kicks, clinches, takedowns, ground-and-pound and an active submission game. Ahead two rounds to none, he did anything but coast over the final five minutes. Dunham engaged Glenn on the feet, throwing everything in his arsenal in pursuit of the finish. Glenn waived him forward despite the onset of fatigue and the considerable damage he had absorbed. The 15-minute battle ended with Dunham fishing for an armbar after a failed somersault kick from the newcomer in the center of the cage. The 34-year-old Dunham has won four fights in a row.‘Jucao’ Carneiro Edges Robertson American Top Team’s Roan Carneiro laughed last in a featured welterweight in which both men seemed to be riding their brakes, as he was awarded a split decision over Kenny Robertson. Two of the judges sided with Carneiro by 30-27 and 29-28 counts while a third cast a 29-28 nod of approval in Robertson’s direction. Neither of them did much to create separation. Robertson (15-5, 4-5 UFC) pressured the Brazilian with punches and marched forward with little regard for his standup skills. Carneiro (21-10, 4-4 UFC) swept into mount late in the second round and wobbled the East Peoria, Illinois, native with a right uppercut-left hook combination in the third. The crowd grew restless with the lack of meaningful activity and made its displeasure known throughout the 15-minute encounter. Carneiro, 38, has quietly rattled off seven wins over his past eight outings.Makhachev …

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