10. Demetrious Johnson vs. John Moraga
UFC on Fox 8
July 27, 2013 | Seattle
Johnson was not going to settle for a decision, as the man they call “Mighty Mouse” retained his Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight crown and submitted Moraga with an armbar in the fifth round of their main event at KeyArena. Moraga, who entered the cage on a seven-fight winning streak, waved the white flag 3:43 into Round 5. Johnson was simply outstanding and showed why most view him as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best. The AMC Pankration export went a perfect 12-for-12 on takedown attempts, according to FightMetric figures, passed Moraga’s guard 13 times and outlanded the Arizonan by a 67-32 count in significant strikes, 112-53 in total strikes. A Matt Hume protégé, Johnson struck for beautifully disguised takedowns in all five rounds, effectively neutralizing the challenger’s heavy hands. Moraga did his best work in the fourth frame, where he countered the oncoming champion with a straight right to the face. The blow staggered Johnson and left him with a visibly damaged nose, but he recovered and picked up where he left off, blood be damned. With a little more than a minute remaining in Round 5, Johnson grounded Moraga again, moved to side control and fished for a kimura before transitioning to an all-in armbar. His limb hyperextended and on the verge of real physical damage, Moraga had no choice but to opt out of the fight. It was the latest stoppage in UFC history at the time, having occurred with just 77 seconds remaining in the 25-minute clash.
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