Overview
- Cesar Almeida stopped Donte Johnson by TKO with referee Kevin MacDonald stepping in at 3:20 of Round 1 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
- Almeida moved into the UFC 334 lineup on roughly six weeks' notice as a replacement for Baisangur Susurkaev and the bout was contested at a 190‑pound catchweight.
- The finish came after Almeida found range with a stiff right hand, followed by ground‑and‑pound that dropped Johnson a second time and forced the stoppage.
- The win improved Almeida to 8‑3 and snapped a two‑fight losing streak while handing the previously unbeaten Donte Johnson his first professional loss, moving his record to 9‑1.
- Coming after strong pre‑fight expectations for Johnson based on his Contender Series rise and wrestling game, the upset highlights Almeida’s elite kickboxing power and changes the short‑term outlook for both fighters.