Introduction
UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2. September 5, 2015. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Demetrious Johnson defended the UFC Flyweight Championship against John Dodson for the second time, winning by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46). It was his seventh consecutive FW title defence, tying Jose Aldo for the most consecutive title defences in UFC history.
Johnson nearly pitched a shutout in the rematch. He outlanded Dodson 94-70 in significant strikes. His right-hand lead scored consistently throughout five rounds. Andrei Arlovski defeated Frank Mir by unanimous decision in the co-main event, a matchup of former HW champions that positioned Arlovski as the next HW title challenger. Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson knocked out Jimi Manuwa in 28 seconds to remain in LHW title contention.
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 5, 2015
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Main Event: Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. John Dodson — UFC FW Championship (rematch of UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson, Jan 2013)
Result: DJ def. Dodson — UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — 7th consecutive FW defence; tied Aldo for most consecutive UFC title defences
Co-Main: Arlovski def. Mir — UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) — HW; former champions; Arlovski in HW title picture
Notable: Rumble Johnson KO Manuwa 28 sec; Paige VanZant armbar win; Jan Blachowicz loses (future LHW champion)
Bonuses: FOTN: John Lineker vs. Francisco Rivera ($50k each); POTN: Anthony Johnson + Raquel Pennington ($50k each)
The Build-Up
Johnson and Dodson had first met in January 2013 at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson in a fight Johnson won but that gave Dodson moments of success. Dodson had won the TUF Season 14 tournament, and his hand speed and explosive power had made him the only realistic threat to Johnson’s dominance. In the time between the two fights, Johnson had defended five more times. Dodson had been recovering from a knee injury and reeled off three wins to earn another shot.
The co-main event was a long-awaited HW clash between Arlovski and Mir— both former UFC HW Champions who had never shared the Octagon before. Arlovski’s recent form had been exceptional; Mir had been in and out of contention since his 2010 run.
Main Event
Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. John Dodson — UFC FW Championship
Johnson controlled distance from the opening bell, using a right-hand lead that found Dodson’s face consistently across all five rounds. Dodson defended most takedown attempts — Johnson landed four from 16 attempts — but his defensive wrestling kept him on the feet where Johnson’s striking advantage was most evident. By round three, Dodson’s nose bled and his left eye was swelling badly.
The final scorecards: 50-45, 49-46, 49-46. A near-shutout in the rematch. Johnson had outlanded Dodson 94-70 in significant strikes. His comment post-fight was characteristically direct: ‘I can’t say I really improved anything. I just wanted to get out there and try something new.’ Johnson’s seventh consecutive FW defence tied Aldo’s record for most consecutive title defences in UFC history.
Co-Main Event
Andrei Arlovski vs. Frank Mir — Heavyweight
Arlovski was the more active fighter throughout three rounds, landing combinations on the feet. Mir secured a takedown in round two but could not work the ground effectively. Round three saw Mir clip Arlovski with a right hand but Arlovski recovered and answered with left hands. The unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) positioned Arlovski as next in line for a shot at Werdum’s HW title.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Joe Riggs def. Ronald Stallings — DQ (Illegal Upkick) — R2, 2:28 — WW
Tiago Trator def. Clay Collard — Decision (Split) — R3 — WW
Raquel Pennington def. Jessica Andrade — Sub (RNC) — R2, 4:58 — WBW; POTN ($50k)
John Lineker def. Francisco Rivera — Sub (Guillotine) — R1, 2:08 — FW; FOTN ($50k each)
Ross Pearson def. Paul Felder — Decision (Split) — R3 — LW
Main Card
Paige VanZant def. Alex Chambers — Sub (Armbar) — R3, 1:01 — WSW; VanZant breakout performance
Corey Anderson def. Jan Blachowicz — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (30-25, 30-25, 29-26) — LHW; Blachowicz future UFC LHW champion
Anthony Johnson def. Jimi Manuwa — KO (Punches) — R2, 0:28 — LHW; POTN ($50k); Rumble back in LHW title picture
Andrei Arlovski def. Frank Mir — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) — HW; Co-Main; former HW champions; Arlovski next title challenger
UFC FW Championship — Main Event
Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) — FW Championship; 7th consecutive defence; tied Aldo record
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: John Lineker vs. Francisco Rivera — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Anthony Johnson + Raquel Pennington — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Demetrious Johnson — 7th consecutive FW title defence; tied Jose Aldo for most consecutive title defences in UFC history at the time. Johnson would break the record at UFC 216 in October 2017.
Jan Błachowicz — lost to Corey Anderson at UFC 191; later became UFC LHW Champion at UFC 253 in September 2020, defeating Dominick Reyes.
Andrei Arlovski def. Frank Mir — this win set up Arlovski’s HW title shot vs. Werdum at UFC Fight Night 80, which Arlovski lost by TKO in round one.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 191 is a card defined by Demetrious Johnson’s ongoing demonstration that the FW division existed only to provide him with opponents. The near-shutout of the one challenger previously considered capable of threatening him made the point completely. Johnson was operating at a level the division had no answer for.
The HW picture was clarified by Arlovski’s win over Mir. Two former champions fighting for relevance in the title picture. Arlovski got there; Mir didn’t. Their later careers went in opposite directions.
FAQ
How dominant was Johnson over Dodson in the UFC 191 rematch?
Johnson won 50-45 on one scorecard and 49-46 on two others, a near-shutout. He outlanded Dodson 94-70 in significant strikes and landed four takedowns from 16 attempts. Their first fight in 2013 had been closer; the rematch was not.
What was the significance of Johnson tying Aldo’s record?
The win was Johnson’s seventh consecutive UFC Flyweight Championship defence, tying Jose Aldo for the most consecutive title defences in UFC history at the time. Johnson would go on to break the record outright at UFC 216 in October 2017.
How fast did Anthony Johnson knock out Jimi Manuwa?
Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson knocked out Jimi Manuwa just 28 seconds into the second round, dropping him with a trademark right hand and following up with punches. The win earned a Performance of the Night bonus and kept Johnson in the light heavyweight title picture.
Who won bonuses at UFC 191?
Four fighters earned $50,000 bonuses. John Lineker and Francisco Rivera shared Fight of the Night for their brief but frenetic brawl. Anthony Johnson and Raquel Pennington each took Performance of the Night.
Did any future champions compete at UFC 191?
Yes. Jan Błachowicz lost a decision to Corey Anderson on the main card but went on to become UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in 2020. The card also featured rising strawweight Paige VanZant, who submitted Alex Chambers.