Charles Johnson, head-and-shoulders portrait

Charles Johnson

Flyweight
Fusion X-Cel
8 knockout wins
Record Record: 20-9-0
Wins
20
Losses
9
Draws
0
8KO/TKO
0Sub
8Dec
View full record ↓

Vitals

Height, reach, and career background.

Age
35
Height
5′9″1.75 m
Reach
70″178 cm
Weight class
Flyweight
Nationality
United States
Team
Fusion X-Cel
Active
2016-present

Record

Tap expandable fights for their breakdowns.

WinRecord after fight: 20-9-0SUB
Opponent: Eduardo Chapolin, their record after the fight: 15-3-0Scottish TwisterR3 1:36
UFC 330
15 Aug 2026

Chapolin made his UFC debut on short notice in a 130-pound catchweight bout. Johnson's early takedown attempts were stuffed, and a point was deducted from Chapolin in round one after he landed an illegal strike on the grounded Johnson. In round two Chapolin dropped Johnson and kept pressing, but Johnson survived the round. In round three Johnson hurt Chapolin, took his back and locked up the Scottish Twister, which ended the fight by submission.

Key moments

  • In round one Chapolin landed an illegal strike on Johnson while Johnson was grounded, which cost him a point.
  • Chapolin dropped Johnson in round two and kept pressing, but Johnson survived the round.
  • In round three Johnson hurt Chapolin, took his back and secured the Scottish Twister submission.
LossRecord after fight: 19-9-0SUB
Opponent: Asu Almabayev, their record after the fight: 24-3-0Suloev stretchR3 3:33

The fight was competitive on the feet early, but Almabayev repeatedly moved it into grappling phases. Johnson had to defend the wrestling instead of settling into his boxing rhythm. Almabayev secured the Suloev stretch at 3:33 of round three.

Key moments

  • Almabayev repeatedly brought the fight into grappling exchanges after a competitive start on the feet.
  • Johnson was repeatedly made to defend the wrestling rather than establish his boxing rhythm.
  • Almabayev finished the fight with a Suloev stretch at 3:33 of round three.
WinRecord after fight: 19-8-0DEC
Opponent: Bruno SilvasplitR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos
14 Mar 2026
LossRecord after fight: 18-8-0TKO
Opponent: Alex Perez, their record after the fight: 26-10-0punchesR1 3:16
UFC 324
24 Jan 2026
WinRecord after fight: 18-7-0KO
Opponent: Lone’er Kavanagh, their record after the fight: 9-1-0punchR2 4:35
UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Zhang
23 Aug 2025
LossRecord after fight: 17-7-0DEC
Opponent: Ramazan Temirov, their record after the fight: 19-3-0unanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev
1 Mar 2025

Temirov hurt him repeatedly with heavy counters and spinning attacks early, and although Johnson steadied the fight enough to last the distance, the three-round scores all went against him.

Key moments

  • Temirov clipped Johnson with a spinning back kick and several heavy hands in a rough opening round.
  • Johnson had to chase the fight after spending the early going in survival mode.
  • The bout went the full fifteen minutes, but the cards still came back unanimously for Temirov.
  • It showed how thin Johnson's margin can be when he loses the first-impact exchanges.
WinRecord after fight: 17-6-0DEC
Opponent: Sumudaerji, their record after the fight: 16-7-0unanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira
19 Oct 2024

Johnson won a hard three-round fight by staying on the front foot longer, mixing in clinch work and late wrestling, and doing the more memorable damage. He nearly finished the bout after a knockdown in round two, then closed well enough down the stretch to take all three cards.

Key moments

  • Johnson opened with leg kicks and pressure before tying Su up in the clinch after a sharp uppercut.
  • He created the biggest swing of the fight in round two with a right-hand knockdown and heavy follow-up ground-and-pound.
  • Su had his best stretch in round three behind the jab and straight left.
  • Johnson found a late takedown and all three judges scored it 29-28 in his favor.
WinRecord after fight: 16-6-0KO
Opponent: Joshua Van, their record after the fight: 10-2-0punchesR3 0:20
UFC on ESPN: Namajunas vs. Cortez
13 Jul 2024

Johnson was competitive early with kicks, range work, and clinch control, but the fight turned into a live striking battle once Van's boxing started flowing. Johnson reset himself between rounds and ended it almost immediately in the third with a perfectly timed uppercut.

Key moments

  • Johnson used his size and kicking game well in the opening round while Van's output stayed low.
  • Van's boxing came alive in round two and forced Johnson into more exchanges.
  • Johnson opened round three aggressively and rocked Van before the finish.
  • The knockout came 20 seconds into the third round after a right uppercut and one follow-up punch.
WinRecord after fight: 15-6-0DEC
Opponent: Jake HadleyunanimousR3 5:00
UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento
11 May 2024

This was a close, competitive decision that gradually swung Johnson's way as his pressure and right hand became more influential.

Key moments

  • Hadley started sharply with kicks and combinations and likely did his best work early.
  • Johnson's offense picked up in round two, especially with the right hand.
  • A late second-round knockdown became the most important moment of the fight.
WinRecord after fight: 14-6-0DEC
Opponent: Azat MaksumunanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov
3 Feb 2024

Johnson had to survive a brutal opening round before turning the fight scrappier and more exhausting for Maksum over the final ten minutes. Maksum dropped him and threatened submissions early, but Johnson's body work, clinch pressure, and late control swung the decision back his way.

Key moments

  • Maksum dropped Johnson early and attacked a d'arce choke in round one.
  • Johnson recovered, started working the body, and made the fight messier in round two.
  • He threatened a deep ninja choke against the fence late in round three.
LossRecord after fight: 13-6-0DEC
Opponent: Rafael EstevamunanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig
18 Nov 2023

Estevam banked the first two rounds with wrestling, trips, back takes, and long control stretches that left Johnson with too much ground to make up. Johnson rallied late as Estevam slowed, but the final push came too late to erase the early positional deficit.

Key moments

  • Estevam opened with a hip throw, added another takedown, and took Johnson's back in the first round.
  • Round two followed the same pattern with more trips, back control, and choke threats.
  • Johnson did his best work late in round two and carried that urgency into the third.
  • Even after defending late takedowns, Johnson could not undo Estevam's early control advantage.
LossRecord after fight: 13-5-0DEC
Opponent: Cody Durden, their record after the fight: 15-4-1unanimousR3 5:00
UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simon
29 Apr 2023

Durden won this fight with sustained wrestling and back control, repeatedly mat-returning Johnson before he could establish his usual pace. Johnson had a few moments late, but Durden's positional dominance carried every round.

Key moments

  • Durden turned an early slip into a takedown and back-take sequence inside the first minute.
  • Johnson flashed a leg attack and later an awkward reverse-triangle look, but Durden was never in deep danger.
  • Durden backpacked Johnson through most of the first two rounds with repeated mat returns.
  • Johnson defended several shots in the third before Durden grounded him again and rode out the finish.
LossRecord after fight: 13-4-0DEC
Opponent: Ode' Osbourne, their record after the fight: 12-5-0splitR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Muniz vs. Allen
25 Feb 2023

Osbourne took a close split decision by being the more active striker across a mostly stand-up fight, even though Johnson often landed the cleaner punches. The third round turned more chaotic and grappling-heavy as both men tired, but the split call still went Osbourne's way.

Key moments

  • Osbourne used varied strikes and higher activity to keep Johnson from fully setting his rhythm.
  • Johnson answered with the cleaner accuracy and mixed body-head work in spots.
  • The first two rounds stayed largely standing without either man taking over completely.
  • Round three featured more grappling and exhaustion exchanges before the split verdict.
WinRecord after fight: 13-3-0TKO
Opponent: Jimmy Flickelbows and punchesR1 4:33
UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Imavov
14 Jan 2023

Johnson spoiled Flick's return by reversing early grappling, forcing him to work from bad positions, and then battering him from the top after Flick slipped off a back take. The finish came from sustained elbows and punches rather than one clean shot.

Key moments

  • Flick initiated the early takedown, but Johnson reversed him and made him work on the mat.
  • Flick later slipped after a high kick and looked rusty after the long layoff.
  • He briefly found Johnson's back along the fence, then slid off and surrendered top position.
  • Johnson closed the show with steady elbows and hammerfists from top position at 4:33 of round one.
WinRecord after fight: 12-3-0DEC
Opponent: Zhalgas ZhumagulovsplitR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba
19 Nov 2022

This was a foul-filled split decision where Zhumagulov's pressure and body work gave Johnson real problems early, but Johnson's kicking game and late push helped him steal enough of the final frame. It was close and chaotic all the way through rather than clearly one-sided.

Key moments

  • Zhumagulov's pressure and body-head punching rattled Johnson early, including a right hand that made him stumble.
  • Johnson's kicks became more effective as the fight went on and the range opened up.
  • Multiple groin fouls repeatedly interrupted the action and broke the rhythm.
  • Johnson looked compromised for stretches in round three, then rallied late with forward pressure and heavier shots.
LossRecord after fight: 11-3-0DEC
Opponent: Muhammad MokaevunanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall
23 Jul 2022

Mokaev controlled Johnson's UFC debut with relentless takedowns, back rides, and cage returns that never allowed him to settle into clean striking range. Johnson kept getting back to his feet, but he could not break the wrestling cycle often enough to win rounds.

Key moments

  • Mokaev immediately cut the cage and forced takedowns and back control.
  • Johnson repeatedly stood up, only for Mokaev to stay attached and drag him back down.
  • Round two ended with Mokaev still on top after another long control sequence.
  • Mokaev added a late suplex in round three and closed out a one-sided wrestling decision.
WinRecord after fight: 11-2-0TKO
Opponent: Carlos MotapunchesR5 0:45
LFA 122
22 Jan 2022
WinRecord after fight: 10-2-0TKO
Opponent: Joao CamilopunchesR2 4:07
LFA 114
27 Aug 2021

Johnson stopped Camilo late in round two to defend his interim LFA flyweight title in St. Louis.

Key moments

  • The bout served as an interim LFA flyweight title defense for Johnson.
  • Johnson scored the stoppage with punches at 4:07 of round two.
  • The fight ended before the scheduled championship rounds became a factor.
WinRecord after fight: 9-2-0DEC
Opponent: Yuma HoriuchisplitR5 5:00
LFA 110
1 Jul 2021
WinRecord after fight: 8-2-0SUB
Opponent: Karlee Pangilinananaconda chokeR2 1:41
LFA 100
19 Feb 2021

Johnson submitted Pangilinan with an anaconda choke in the second round at LFA 100.

Key moments

  • The fight was part of the co-main event at LFA 100.
  • Johnson locked up the anaconda choke at 1:41 of round two.
  • The finish came before the fight ever needed the judges.
LossRecord after fight: 7-2-0DEC
Opponent: Brandon RoyvalunanimousR3 5:00
LFA 48
7 Sep 2018
WinRecord after fight: 7-1-0TKO
Opponent: Andrew KimzeypunchesR1 1:41
LFA 42
8 Jun 2018
LossRecord after fight: 6-1-0DEC
Opponent: Sean SantellaunanimousR3 5:00
PA Cage Fight 31
31 Mar 2018
WinRecord after fight: 6-0-0SUB
Opponent: Marc Tong Vanbrabo chokeR1 3:20
Elite Fight League 1
20 Jan 2018
WinRecord after fight: 5-0-0DEC
Opponent: Jeremiah CullumsplitR3 5:00
LFA 21
1 Sep 2017
WinRecord after fight: 4-0-0DEC
Opponent: Michael GravesunanimousR3 5:00
Gateway Fighting Series 9
23 Jun 2017
WinRecord after fight: 3-0-0SUB
Opponent: Ray AllardkimuraR2 2:20
Fight Hard MMA 19
7 Jan 2017

Johnson submitted Allard with a kimura in the second round at Fight Hard MMA 19.

Key moments

  • Johnson won by kimura at 2:20 of round two.
  • The fight is commonly listed as his professional flyweight debut.
  • It took place at Fight Hard MMA 19 in St. Charles.
WinRecord after fight: 2-0-0TKO
Opponent: Alex Stephenssubmission to punchesR1 N/A
True Revelation MMA 31
15 Oct 2016

Johnson beat Stephens by first-round TKO at True Revelation MMA 31.

Key moments

  • The bout was contested at bantamweight at True Revelation MMA 31.
  • Johnson won in round one by strikes or submission to punches.
  • It became Johnson's second professional win and another stoppage.
WinRecord after fight: 1-0-0TKO
Opponent: Austin ReedpunchesR2 2:30
Ultimate Blue Corner FC 1
3 Jun 2016

Johnson won his professional debut by second-round TKO over Austin Reed at bantamweight.

Key moments

  • Johnson stopped Reed with punches at 2:30 of round two.
  • The fight was contested at bantamweight in Kansas City.
  • The bout is commonly noted as Johnson's pro debut.

The Read

Style, strengths, and defining traits.

Charles Johnson’s combat-sports credentials include legacy fighting alliance (LFA) three-time flyweight champ. Their background also includes AAU All-American track and field, Division 1 xc and track athlete, four-sport All-State athlete in one year.