Jean Matsumoto scored a closely contested split decision victory over 19-fight veteran Miles Johns at UFC Vegas 109 on Saturday night.
After a solid round from Johns in the first, the momentum started to switch in the second, with Matsumoto teeing off on his opponent. Johns managed to land a couple of well-timed takedowns in the first two stanzas, though he was unable to accomplish much with the positions.
With the fight potentially tied up, Johns started to swing big in the third while Matsumoto continued to mix up his striking and lighting up Johns’ lead leg with a slew of vicious calf kicks.
Just over a minute left in the matchup, Johnson delivered another perfectly executed takedown, getting Matsumoto down near the fence. With 15 seconds to go, Matsumoto worked his way back up and shot in for a takedown of his own, but was unable to complete it before the final horn brought an end to the bout.
Official Result: Jean Matsumoto def. Miles Johns via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
