UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso. September 27, 2014. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. The event was originally planned to be headlined by Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch of UFC 165. Gustafsson withdrew with a torn meniscus. Daniel Cormier replaced him. Jones and Cormier brawled at a media day on August 4 in a confrontation that generated the sport’s most widely discussed pre-fight incident of 2014. Jones then pulled out with a leg injury on August 12. The fight was rescheduled to UFC 182.
The actual main event was a UFC Flyweight Championship bout: Demetrious Johnson defeated Chris Cariaso by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) for his fifth consecutive FW title defence. Conor McGregor knocked out Dustin Poirier in round one. Dominick Cruz returned from a 2-year absence with a 61-second TKO of Takeya Mizugaki. Yoel Romero defeated Tim Kennedy in a controversial fifth round. The event drew 205,000 PPV buys — among the lowest of the year, directly resulting from Jones’ withdrawal.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: September 27, 2014
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Attendance: 10,544; Gate: $2,200,000; PPV: 205,000 (low due to Jones withdrawal)
Main Event: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Chris Cariaso — UFC FW Championship (ORIGINALLY: Jones vs. Gustafsson 2, then Jones vs. Cormier)
Result: Johnson def. Cariaso — UD (50-45 x3) — fifth FW title defence
Notable: Jones-Cormier MEDIA DAY BRAWL Aug 4 (both fined $50k); Jones pulled out (leg injury) Aug 12; McGregor TKO Poirier R1; Cruz returns (TKO Mizugaki 61 sec); Romero-Kennedy controversy; FOTN: Romero/Kennedy; POTN: Cruz + McGregor
The Build-Up
Jones vs. Gustafsson 2 was announced after their UFC 165 instant classic. Gustafsson suffered a torn meniscus and LCL; Cormier replaced him. On August 4, Jones and Cormier met for a promotional staredown. Jones placed his forehead against Cormier’s. Cormier pushed him. Jones lunged back and both tumbled off the stage. A brief brawl followed. Jones on Twitter: ‘I put you on your back in six seconds.’ Cormier: ‘Don’t ever put your dirty face on me again.’ Both were fined $50,000 by the NSAC. On August 12, Jones withdrew with a leg injury. The card was reorganised with DJ elevated to headline.'),
Main Event
Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Chris Cariaso — UFC FW Championship
Johnson controlled Cariaso with a mix of wrestling, clinch knees, and striking throughout five rounds. Cariaso had no effective answer for the champion’s speed and versatility. All three judges scored the fight 50-45 for Johnson. It was his fifth consecutive FW title defence.'),
Co-Main Event
Yoel Romero vs. Tim Kennedy — Middleweight
Kennedy dominated multiple rounds and badly hurt Romero in round four. Kennedy’s corner threw a white towel — which the referee did not see. Romero recovered during the break between rounds four and five and came back strongly in round five, finishing Kennedy by TKO. Kennedy and his team protested. Replays showed Romero’s corner wiping his face with a cloth and appearing to revive him between rounds. The controversy defined the fight’s legacy.'),
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Bobby Green def. Jorge Masvidal — Decision — R3 — LW; Masvidal UFC career continues
Kevin Lee def. Jon Tuck — Decision — R3 — LW; Lee’s UFC career begins
Patrick Cote def. Stephen Thompson — Decision — R3 — WW
Manny Gamburyan def. Cody Gibson — TKO — R? — FW
Main Card
Eddie Alvarez def. Donald Cerrone — Decision — R3 — LW; Alvarez UFC debut
Dominick Cruz def. Takeya Mizugaki — TKO — R1, 1:01 — BW; Cruz returns after 2+ year absence; POTN ($50k)
Conor McGregor def. Dustin Poirier — TKO — R1 — FW; McGregor big PPV debut; POTN ($50k)
Yoel Romero def. Tim Kennedy — TKO — R5 — MW; Co-Main; CONTROVERSIAL: Kennedy’s corner threw towel (ref missed it); Romero’s corner wiping face; FOTN ($50k each)
UFC FW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Demetrious Johnson def. Chris Cariaso — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 (50-45 x3) — FW Championship; fifth title defence
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Yoel Romero vs. Tim Kennedy — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance Night: Dominick Cruz + Conor McGregor — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Dominick Cruz — returned after a 2-year+ absence due to multiple knee injuries. Stopped Mizugaki in 61 seconds. Cruz had been the undisputed BW champion before his injury run.'),
Jones-Cormier media day brawl — the most publicised pre-fight physical altercation since the UFC had entered the mainstream era; both fighters were fined $50,000.'),
205,000 PPV buys — the lowest for a September UFC PPV in years; directly attributed to Jones’ withdrawal.'),
Legacy & Impact
The Jones-Cormier media day brawl was the beginning of the sport’s most enduring rivalry narrative. Two former Olympic-level wrestlers, both undefeated in the UFC, fought on a stage in Las Vegas before their scheduled title fight and generated more interest than most actual PPV events. The brawl gave UFC 182 — where they eventually fought — a build-up that required no additional promotion.'),
Romero vs. Kennedy cemented both fighters’ reputations — Kennedy as a legitimate MW threat, Romero as one of the most controversial and compelling fighters in the division. The towel incident generated a NSAC review.'),
FAQ
What happened at the Jones-Cormier media day brawl before UFC 178?
Jones and Cormier met for a promotional staredown on August 4. Jones rested his forehead against Cormier's. Cormier pushed him away. Jones lunged and both fell off the stage. A brief brawl followed. Both were fined $50,000 by the NSAC.
Why did UFC 178 end up being headlined by Johnson vs. Cariaso?
Jones vs. Gustafsson 2 became Jones vs. Cormier after Gustafsson withdrew. Then Jones pulled out with a leg injury on August 12, forcing another reorganisation. DJ vs. Cariaso was elevated from the card.
Was the Kennedy vs. Romero stoppage controversial at UFC 178?
Yes. Kennedy had Romero badly hurt in round four. His corner threw a white towel. The referee did not see it and the fight continued. Between rounds four and five, replays appeared to show Romero's corner wiping his face with a substance and administering to him. Romero finished Kennedy in round five.
Was UFC 178 Dominick Cruz's return from injury?
Yes. Cruz had been the UFC BW Champion but suffered multiple injuries across 2011-2013. UFC 178 was his first fight in over two years. He stopped Mizugaki in 61 seconds of round one.
Was UFC 178 Conor McGregor's first major PPV appearance?
UFC 178 was McGregor's first appearance on a numbered PPV main card. He had previously fought at UFC Fight Nights. His TKO of Poirier was one of the card's highlights and earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.
References
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