Charles Johnson’s Unyielding Drive for UFC Recognition
Charles Johnson entered 2025 on a four-fight winning streak and was set to face Ramazan Temirov at the APEX in Las Vegas. His momentum had followed a difficult stretch in which he lost three straight bouts and came close to being released. A strong 2024 restored his confidence and renewed his frustration that the streak had not brought him a higher-profile opportunity. In a feature published before the Temirov fight, Johnson discussed the turnaround and the mindset behind it.
The ESPN MMA clip above shows Johnson knocking out Joshua Van with an uppercut in the third round of their July 2024 fight. It offers a look at one of the key wins in the streak, not a current fight update. Johnson had already beaten Azat Maksum and Jake Hadley before finishing Van; he followed that result with a unanimous-decision victory over Sumudaerji in October. Those four wins came after a run of losses to Ode’ Osbourne, Cody Durden, and Rafael Estevam. The official fighter history records the results and dates.
Johnson entered the Temirov bout with a 17-6 professional record and a clear change in routine. He had moved from Michigan to Orlando to train at Fusion Xcel, where he sought a different environment and new training partners. In the pre-fight interview, he described 2024 as a redemption year and explained that he had approached training and recovery more deliberately. His complaint about recognition was tied to the timing: he wanted a step up after four wins, while the division’s ranked names had not accepted a fight with him. That account is part of the original interview feature.
Temirov ended the streak on March 1, 2025, winning a unanimous decision with three 29-28 scorecards. Johnson responded in August by knocking out Lone’er Kavanagh at 4:35 of Round 2. In January 2026, Alex Perez stopped him with strikes in the first round. Johnson then won a split decision over Bruno Silva in March before Asu Almabayev submitted him with a Suloev stretch in June. The official record lists the sequence, while the Temirov scorecards show how closely the opening loss was scored.
Johnson’s latest appearance brought another change in direction. On August 15, 2026, he submitted Eduardo Chapolin with a Scottish twister at 1:36 of Round 3, returning to the win column, according to the official scorecards. That unusual finish followed a busy year with one win and two losses before the Chapolin bout. It also showed the same willingness to keep competing that had fueled his earlier run: Johnson remained active after the Temirov loss and was back in the cage less than six months later.
The four-fight streak that prompted the original feature was real, but it did not guarantee immediate access to ranked opposition. Temirov’s decision halted it, and Johnson’s subsequent record has mixed new victories with setbacks. His Chapolin submission is the latest chapter in that push, while the retained highlight captures the earlier moment when his striking helped build the case he was making for himself.
