Michael Johnson drops Ottman Azaitar like sack of potatoes

Michael Johnson on Saturday added a late candidate to the dialogue of 2024’s nastiest knockout.

At UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa, Fla., Johnson (23-19 MMA, 15-15 UFC) knocked Ottman Azaitar (13-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) unconscious in brutal vogue with a blistering overhand proper.

Though Azaitar was out from the preliminary blow, two extra Johnson proper fingers cracked his unconscious head earlier than referee Jason Herzog dove in and stopped the battle at 2:03 of Round 2.

The win was Johnson’s second in a row. He beat Darrius Flowers by unanimous resolution in February earlier than having surgical procedure in March. The win was Johnson’s fifteenth within the promotion and brings him as much as .500 in his fifteenth yr with the promotion.

After a 13-0 begin to his skilled profession, Azaitar has suffered three consecutive knockout defeats.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 63 outcomes embody:

• Michael Johnson def. Ottman Azaitar by way of knockout (punches) – Round 2, 2:03
• Joel Alvarez def. Drakkar Klose by way of knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:48
• Sean Woodson def. Fernando Padilla by way of TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:58
• Felipe Lima def. Miles Johns by way of unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Miranda Maverick def. Jamey-Lyn Horth by way of unanimous resolution (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Davey Grant def. Ramon Taveras by way of unanimous resolution (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Piera Rodriguez def. Josefine Knutsson by way of unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC on ESPN 63.