UFC: Thiago Moises taps out Michael Johnson with ankle lock – then calls out Anthony Pettis
- ‘The Menace’ dominates first round in Florida but Moises takes it to the ground and gets the submission 25 seconds into round two
- ‘I heard Anthony Pettis wants to go back to the lightweight division. I would like to welcome him back,’ says Moises
Thiago Moises got his first finish in the UFC with a quick second-round ankle lock submission of Michael Johnson in Jacksonville, Florida.
The 25-year-old Moises (13-4) made “The Menace” Johnson (19-16) tap just 25 seconds after the first restart at an empty VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday night.
“Hats off to him, he was a former top six in the lightweight division, he beat Tony Ferguson and other guys,” Moises told Daniel Cormier in the Octagon after the fight. “It just shows I belong in the division, it's just the beginning for me.”
“I want to thank my coach for this. We worked very hard this training camp. We know he has good wrestling, so this was the game plan. I have way better grappling than him, so jiu-jitsu was the way to go.”
The Brazilian is now 2-2 in the UFC, following three decisions in his first three fights.
“The first time I stepped in the UFC cage, they gave me tough opponent, Beneil Dariush, and flew me to fight some tough Russian guys. I heard Anthony Pettis wants to go back to the lightweight division. I would like to welcome him back, yeah.”