After earning a spot in the Ultimate Fighter finale, Tim Elliott (13-7-1) came into the bout with Demetrious Johnson (25-2-1) as a massive (-1000) underdog for the flyweight championship belt. No one, maybe not even Elliott, expected him to put on the performance he would in a unanimous decision loss to Johnson.
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He started the bout off as anything other than an underdog, hitting the champ with an onslaught that included a deep guillotine choke that had Johnson in trouble early in the first round.
Elliott was gassed before the end of the first frame, using most of his energy trying to finish the champ in the first two minutes. But he managed to drop Johnson with a left hook and took him down yet again to end the first round in an impressive showing.
Johnson took advantage of a clearly worn out Elliott in the second, taking him to the ground and maneuvering his way to different submission attempts, but never putting Elliott in any real danger.
A supremely confident Elliott opened the third round by trading standing shots with Johnson before getting taken down yet again. He slipped easily out of a rear naked choke and transitioned his way on the ground easier than anyone we've seen against the well-rounded champ.
Despite the odds being stacked against him, Elliott would push the fight into the championship rounds, getting a bit cocky by mocking Johnson in the standup game before getting embarrassed on the ground. Johnson yet again put Elliott in a choke only for the underdog challenger to escape. It looked like Johnson may have been able to finish Elliott with the ground-and-pound from side control in the crucifix, but Elliott survived to get to the fifth and final round.
Elliott looked much different coming into the fifth round, seemingly regaining some of his stamina and taking the champ to the ground. Johnson finished off the fight with another strong grappling performance to close out the bout.
Johnson's side control on the mat was superb, as for much of the fight he either was trying a straight arm bar or had Elliott in the crucifix, pounding the challenger in the ground-and-pound.
Elliott came into the fight on a three fight win streak. Johnson came into the fight on a 10-fight win streak, with his last loss coming in 2011 by decision.
