This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 18, Michael Johnson (19-17) took on Clay Guida (36-20) on the main card. This matchup was a highly anticipated clash between two veterans with a ton of experience inside the octagon.
For Michael Johnson, he believed his career was on the line at UFC Vegas 18. In pre-fight interviews, Johnson alluded to the fact that he was on a three-fight losing streak heading into Saturday.
With the promotion making recent cuts, Johnson knew he needed a win to keep his spot with the promotion. When the opening round started, Johnson came out strong. His shots had good pop on them and his speed looked better than it had in previous fights.
Simply put, Johnson looked prepared for UFC Vegas 18. However, after controlling the first part of the first round, Johnson was caught with some big right hands from Clay Guida. They seemed to bother his left eye and that was really where the fight turned for Johnson.
After his opening round success, the rest of the fight was controlled by Clay Guida. The Carpenter’s pressure was relentless and Johnson couldn’t get any space to work. In the end, all three judges gave all three rounds to Guida. Michael Johnson suffered his fourth straight loss in the UFC on Saturday.
Will the UFC cut Michael Johnson?
I mentioned this in my preview of UFC Vegas 18, but Michael Johnson has had a career that just makes you shake your head. The high points of his career alone would lead you to believe he’s one of the best lightweights in the world.
Johnson defeated Tony Ferguson and Edson Barboza by decision. He also holds a knockout win over Dustin Poirier who is widely considered to be the best lightweight on the planet not named Khabib Nurmagomedov.
However, outside of those wins, it’s been a lot of disappointment for Michael Johnson in the UFC. A ton of fights were lost in which he should have easily won. With the talent and raw skills Johnson has, he should be much better than 19-17.
The harsh reality is I think this is where Johnson’s UFC run ends. Johnson is getting ready to turn 35 and with four straight losses, I’m expecting the promotion to release him after his loss to Clay Guida.
Now, with Johnson’s history, I would expect another promotion to pick him up rather quickly. However, given the way the UFC is operating as of late, I think Michael Johnson will be getting his walking papers. Time will tell if that comes to fruition.