Cesar Almeida knocks out Donte Johnson in Round 1 at UFC 334

Cesar Almeida ended a rough stretch on Saturday, knocking out Donte Johnson in the first round at UFC 334 and handing the previously unbeaten American his first professional loss.

The 38-year-old Brazilian, who fights out of Lotus MMA, snaps a two-fight losing streak with the finish and improves to 8-3 as a professional. Johnson, 27, falls to 9-1.

Almeida back on track

Almeida's two previous outings both went the wrong way. His most recent recorded fight before this one was a first-round KO/TKO loss to Damian Pinas at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026. Before that, he dropped a unanimous decision to Cezary Oleksiejczuk in December 2025. His last recorded win prior to Saturday was also a first-round KO/TKO, over Abdul Razak Alhassan in January 2025.

The Orthodox striker stands six-foot-one with a 74-inch reach, and the numbers show a fighter who earns his finishes with precision: he lands 3.73 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. Takedowns and submissions are minor parts of his game, at 0.2 per 15 minutes each.

Johnson's first setback

Johnson arrived on a three-fight run of recorded wins. He stopped Eric McConico in the first round at UFC 330 in August 2026, took a split decision over Cody Brundage in March 2026 and submitted Sedriques Dumas in November 2025. The southpaw, who is from the United States, is a more grappling-oriented fighter on paper, averaging 1.87 takedowns per 15 minutes with 0.6 submission attempts. His striking is lower in volume and accuracy than Almeida's, at 3.36 significant strikes per minute and 46 percent.

Why it matters

• Almeida avoids a third straight loss, and the first-round stoppage is his second recorded KO/TKO win at that stage in the span covered by his recent fights.
• Johnson's unbeaten record ends at nine fights, interrupting a run that included a first-round knockout of his own just three months earlier.
• The matchup was a clear contrast in styles: Almeida's accurate striking against Johnson's takedown-heavy approach, with both men listed at identical 74-inch reaches despite a four-inch height gap in Almeida's favor.