"Vintage performance" - MMA community reacts as Michael Johnson defeats prohibitive favorite at UFC 318

The MMA community reacted as Michael Johnson defeated rising contender Daniel Zellhuber at UFC 318.

Johnson, a veteran of 42 professional MMA fights, entered the main card opening bout as a massive +400 underdog against the -550 favorite Zellhuber. Despite the odds stacked against him, Johnson showcased superior striking and scored a clean knockdown in Round 2.

To his credit, Zellhuber answered promptly and made the fight significantly more competitive in Round 3. However, Johnson maintained his composure and continued to counter effectively. The judges scored two of the three rounds in Johnson's favor, declaring him the winner by unanimous decision (29-28 X 3).

Check out glimpses of Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber below:

The MMA community was impressed with Johnson ability to utilize his experience to defy the odds and secure a decisive victory over a highly regarded young prospect. Many shared their thoughts on his victory through social media posts.

Former two-division UFC champion and Olympic medalist Henry Cejudo wrote on X:

"Vintage performance put forth by “The Menace” Michael Johnson! #UFC318."

Dillon Danis highlighted the implications of Johnson's victory on the betting scene:

"Michael Johnson just f*ed up everyone’s parlay #UFC318."

Check out more reactions below:

Fan reactions [Screenshots courtesy: respective X accounts]

The win over Zellhuber extends Johnson's win streak to three. In his recent outings, the 39-year-old defeated Darrius Flowers and Ottman Azaitar. This win streak follows a challenging period of Johnson's career, where he went 2-6 from 2019 to 2023.

Despite having a mixed overall record, Johnson is known for defeating some of the best fighters of his generation, including Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson and Edson Barboza.

On the other hand, the UFC 318 defeat marked the second consecutive loss for Zellhuber. The Mexican fighter ended up on the wrong side of a split decision against Argentina's Esteban Ribovics in a closely contested bout at Noche UFC 306 in September last year.