UFC 178 results recap: Demetrious Johnson vs Chris Cariaso fight review and analysis

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) flyweights Demetrious Johnson and Chris Cariaso battled over the strap last night (Sat., Sept. 27, 2014) at UFC 178 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This was the chance of a lifetime for Cariaso. Due to being in the right place at the right time, Cariaso managed to earn a title shot despite not being on an especially impressive win streak.

As for the champ, this was another day in the office. Cariaso is hardly the most physically powerful or technically proficient fighter compared to Johnson's previous challengers. Johnson simply had to go out and perform.

Which is exactly what he did.

Johnson began the bout with some low kicks. Cariaso missed on his first few attempts to engage, clearly having a bit of difficulty with Johnson's speed. Before Cariaso could land a significant strike, Johnson blasted "Kamikaze" off his feet.

The challenger shut down Johnson's first attempt to pass, showcasing his defensive guard game. Cariaso took some knees to the chest, but he made it back up to his feet. Johnson decided to hold onto the clinch, where he landed a few more knee strikes.

Cariaso shot in to avoid the knees, but Johnson easily stuffed him. With a minute left, the fight was back on the feet, and Johnson landed a hard body kick. Just after Cariaso landed his first combo of the night, Johnson rocked him and flurried as the bell sounded.

The first round was a shutout for "Mighty Mouse."

Johnson pressured Cariaso heavily and then took top position when the Arizonan slipped. This time, Johnson passed the guard into side control and landed some short punches. He transitioned to north south for a moment.

From side control, Johsnon began attacking with a kimura. He thought about using the straight armbar, but instead stepped over Cariaso's head. Cariaso -- pinned down by Johnson's body weight -- was forced to tap as Johnson cranked on his shoulder.

As expected, Johnson looked absolutely unstoppable. The flyweight kingpin did everything he wanted to, as he took Cariaso down at will, rocked him on the feet, and eventually finished him with a kimura. Frankly, I think Cariaso landed maybe two significant strikes the entire fight.

This was another bout in which Johnson secured his legacy as the best flyweight in history.

For his next bout, expect Johnson to take on the winner of Ian McCall vs. John Lineker. In addition, John Dodson will eventually get a title shot upon his return from injury.

Cariaso got outclassed, plain and simple. He should never have been put in the cage with Johnson, and it showed. Johnson simply never gave Cariaso an opportunity to showcase his skills at all.

Sadly, it's likely back to the prelims for "Kamikaze."

Cariaso's next bout will likely come against a fringe top 10 flyweight. For example, Alpetzkin Ozkilic is also coming off a fairly high profile -- for flyweight at least -- loss to John Lineker. It would be an excellent rebound fight for both men.

At UFC 178, Demetrious Johnson surprised no one by utterly dominating Chris Cariaso. Just how long can "Mighty Mouse" hold onto his title?

For complete UFC 178: "Johnson vs Cariaso" results, including blow-by-blow coverage of the entire pay-per-view event, click here.