Michael Johnson
UFC 2012–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 81.0
Scouting report
A first-round knockout of Dustin Poirier alongside a win over Edson Barboza showed that Michael "The Menace" Johnson could out-strike the elite of the division. A scheduled bout with Tony Ferguson was canceled and the two never fought. Born in St. Louis, Missouri and training with Henri Hooft, Johnson's hand speed is backed by an 84 Boxing rating and 84 Cardio.
Peak ratings
By edition
Johnson compiled a three-fight winning streak across 2014 and early 2015, defeating Melvin Guillard in London, dominating top contender Edson Barboza by unanimous decision in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and dropping a split decision to Beneil Dariush in Nashville. His hand speed, straight left punch, and takedown defense are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 86 Cardio score.
In September 2016 at UFC Fight Night 94 in Hidalgo, Johnson scored a first-round knockout of Dustin Poirier in just 95 seconds, before dropping a submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 205 and engaging in a wild 2017 Fight of the Year against Justin Gaethje in Las Vegas. His hand speed, power hooks, and offensive striking anchor his 88 Boxing and 82 Wrestling.
Johnson transitioned between featherweight and lightweight in 2018 and 2019, defeating Andre Fili by split decision in Lincoln and outpointing Artem Lobov in Moncton while dropping stoppage losses to Darren Elkins and Josh Emmett. His combinations, lateral footwork, and technical boxing exchanges are represented by an 86 Boxing and 84 Cardio score.
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Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Michael Johnson is regarded by the MMA community, with the EA Sports UFC games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Michael Johnson's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below.