Charles Johnson pulled off a huge comeback win earlier tonight (Sat., July 13, 2024) at UFC Denver live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, stopping red-hot prospect Joshua Van with a come-from-behind TKO in the third and final round.
Van was highly favored to win this “Prelims” headliner, and rightfully so. As a skilled flyweight, he had an impressive record of eight consecutive wins (including three victories in the UFC). With his striking abilities, Van was expected to outperform Johnson, who had agreed to the fight with only 10 days’ notice.
Van dominated the first two rounds, constantly pushing Johnson backwards and forcing him to defend. His impressive shot selection and precision, particularly when targeting the body, made for an exciting spectacle.
Despite being behind on the scorecards, Johnson, who had won his previous two fights in 2024, unleashed a barrage of punches in the third round. Surprisingly, “Inner G” landed a powerful right hand, swiftly followed by a devastating uppercut. Both blows connected perfectly, causing Van to collapse onto the canvas with a forceful impact to his head. Johnson capitalized on the opportunity and landed a series of additional punches before the referee intervened and called an end to the fight.
Check out the comeback finish below:
CHARLES JOHNSON COMES BACK OUT OF NOWHERE AND KNOCKS OUT JOSH VAN #UFCDenver pic.twitter.com/wm41JfUCcE
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 14, 2024
HE FINISHED HIM EARLY @InnerGmma_UFC gets the third round KO to finish up our #UFCDenver prelims! pic.twitter.com/opvOu6Xott
— UFC (@ufc) July 14, 2024
For complete UFC Denver results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.
