Light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier won the title by submitting Antony Johnson with a rear-naked choke in the third round of the UFC 187 main event in May 2015. On Saturday, the two fought in a rematch in the headlining bout of UFC 210 in Buffalo, New York, and Cormier put in a repeat performance from their first meeting.
Johnson is most dangerous in the opening minutes of a fight. The knockout artist knocked Cormier down in the first round of their first fight and landed a head kick on Saturday in the opening frame that may have broken Cormier’s nose. Instead of continuing to strike with the champion, Johnson decided to try and grapple the Olympian. It turned out to be a bad decision.
Cormier controlled Johnson in the clinch position and peppered him with short punches and elbows. In the second round, Johnson again tried to take Cormier down. He ended up being the one put on his back. After securing a takedown, Cormier took Johnson’s back and delivered punches and hammer fists. He eventually locked on a rear-naked choke, and Johnson quickly tapped out.
Following the fight, Johnson announced that he was walking away from the sport to pursue other opportunities.
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