Last night, the UFC touched down in the small border town of Hidalgo, Texas with UFC Fight Night 94. In the evening’s main event, former featherweight contender Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier looked to improve to 5-0 since returning to lightweight. His opportunity to do so came against long-time lightweight contender Michael “The Menace” Johnson, who entered the bout with back-to-back losses to Nate Diaz and Beneil Dariush in his wake.
Though Johnson was considered a slight underdog by oddsmakers in advance of the fight, he ultimately came out in the first round, flattening his streaking foe with a blistering two-punch salvo, and burying him with ground and pound. The end came at the 1:35 mark of the first frame, making it the second fastest win of the night.
Here’s how the MMA community reacted to Johnson’s fantastic knockout win, the trash-talk that he hurled at Poirier after the win, and the fact that that referee Dan Miragliotta lost his shoe in the chaos of it all.
@ufc I'll take @FollowTheMenace Or @josealdojunior
advertisement – continue reading below— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) September 18, 2016
Be humble in victory and defeat. @FollowTheMenace I'm going to humble you after I get through oliveria… I promise you.
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) September 18, 2016
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Had to go run a few miles to calm down a little. I've got another motivation to beat Oliveria Oct.1st and its @FollowTheMenace
— Will Brooks (@ILLxWillBrooks) September 18, 2016
The only thing I don't like about the fight game is seeing people I love go down. I will always believe in @DustinPoirier #Thugjitsu4Life
— Yves (@thugjitsumaster) September 18, 2016
@FollowTheMenace boy I'm scared of you!
That hand speed is just stanking son…
Don't ever hit me like that during practice plz!— Rumble Johnson (@Anthony_Rumble) September 18, 2016
My favorite part of the Poirier/Johnson fight was the display of sportsmanship. Especially after the fight
— Sean McCorkle (@BigSexyMcCorkle) September 18, 2016
Best I've ever seen Johnson look only a small mistake by Poirier and that was it
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) September 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/GilbertDurinho/status/777367968489541632
Fuckkkk yeaaa !!! @FollowTheMenace thats what the fuck im talking about. !!!
— Sean Soriano (@ssorianoMMA) September 18, 2016
Wow! @FollowTheMenace is back with some fast hands! #UFCHidalgo #ufcfightnight #blackzilians #StLouis #pressurefighters
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) September 18, 2016
Wow!!! Holy smokes dang! #ufc @ufc @ Freeport, New York https://t.co/Y5eLdzQ356
— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) September 18, 2016
Guess Michael Johnson didn't want none of that 5 round shit. Wow. Helluva finish
— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) September 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/LDV_TheSwarm/status/777367167457263616
I didn't see that coming… wow #UFCHidalgo #fb
— Jocelyn J Lybarger (@mmajocelyn) September 18, 2016
YOOOOOOO!!!!! WOW! Michael Johnson looked BEAST!!! Such a dangerous fight for both warriors. Nasty combination.#UFCHildalgo
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 18, 2016
My favorite part of the Poirier/Johnson fight was the display of sportsmanship. Especially after the fight
— Sean McCorkle (@BigSexyMcCorkle) September 18, 2016
Nice show by @FollowTheMenace as he apologizes to @DustinPoirier saying he got too excited in celebration. Statement performance by MJ
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) September 18, 2016
Damn @FollowTheMenace you even knocked Dan's shoes! https://t.co/UVhuIrX6M2
— Gesias JZ Cavalcante (@Gesias) September 18, 2016
Man, the ref lost a shoe stopping that fight! #ufchidalgo
— The Mane Event™ (@EliasTheodorou) September 18, 2016
Am I the only one who noticed that big ass hole in the bottom of big Dans sock when he lost his shoe?! @ufc #UFCHildalgo #mustbeluckysocks
— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) September 18, 2016
With the win, Johnson returns to the win-column after his losses to Diaz and Dariush. He’s now 17-10 overall – a record that is hardly indicative of his skill. As the Tweets above show, he now has some interesting suitors on his trail in former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks, and former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis – just the kinds of big fights he seems to be after.
Poirier, meanwhile, comes up short for the first time since he was smoked by Conor McGregor in late 2014. This is his first loss in the lightweight division since he came up short opposite Danny Castillo at WEC 50 in 2010. “The Diamond” will return to his home at American Top Team with an overall record of 20-5.
Were you impressed by Michael Johnson’s performance in Hidalgo? Who would you like to see “The Menace” take on next? Sound off, PENN nation!