Between March 14th and April 26th , the UFC will have put on six mixed martial arts events. A full calendar year for the UFC packs in so much action that at times it seems like many of the cards are filled up with fights that have little meaning in any title picture. In the past, many of these less meaningful fights would have been fought in smaller organizations and the fighters would be given more time to mature. However, as the sport has grown, the UFC has pushed itself to capacity in trying to satisfy the fans of the sport. The problem is the fans of the sport don’t just want MORE fights, they want QUALITY fights. When cards are being headlined by Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop, there is a problem. Gonzaga is coming off of back-to-back losses and is 2-3 in his last five fights. Cro Cop isn’t much better having lost six out of his ten UFC fights and never having any significant wins since leaving PRIDE back in 2006. Fans, like myself, are hungry and we are hungry for big fights.
UFC 186 will take place on April 26th and this card has the potential to set up a super fight between two UFC champions. At UFC 186, both TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will defend their UFC titles; if both fighters are victorious fight fans could finally be treated to the ever-elusive super fight. While a fight between Dillashaw and Johnson might not draw as much attention as a fight between Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez would, that doesn’t mean fans wouldn’t love to see it. The modern day mixed martial arts fighter doesn’t generally fight in multiple divisions at the same time, as it would break the rhythm of what they have been training to do for years. Making weight has become very scientific and in the past former UFC champion Georges St. Pierre has said that he didn’t want to move up in weight unless the move was permanent specifically because the change in weight would disrupt his program. So when two fighters like Dillashaw and Johnson have both expressed interest in squaring off, it is a very exciting proposition.
In Demetrious Johnson, fans have been watching one of the more dominant champions in the UFC. Since securing the UFC flyweight title, Johnson has had little competition that has challenged him; one could argue that Johnson hasn’t lost a round since he won the belt. Recently Johnson said during an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour podcast that he would be willing to fight Dillashaw if the purse for the fight were substantial enough. Here’s why this fight makes since for Johnson: He has all but cleaned out the division at flyweight and fresh challenges seem far off for the champ. He has actually fought the majority of his career at bantamweight and even fought for the UFC bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz back in 2011. Since this time, Johnson has become one of the most accurate boxers inside the Octagon and his speed and footwork have improved. The move back up to bantamweight would just mean there would be little to know weight cut for him and some would argue that could give him more gas in the tank, not that he has ever lacked any. Should the fight take place at flyweight, Johnson has the obvious advantage of knowing what the weight cut would be like and the drop in weight could mean a fatigued Dillashaw. The only thing that Johnson lacks in this matchup is power but what he lacks in power he certainly makes up in volume.
Turning our attention to Dillashaw, we see a far less experienced champion. Dillashaw has only defended his title once since winning it and while the win was a dominant performance, he doesn’t show the same body of work as his potential challenger. Here’s why this fight makes sense for Dillashaw. The top three challengers for his title are former titleholder Renan Barao, Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. Barao will get his rematch at UFC 186, but if the first meeting between the two was any indication of how this fight plays out, it will be Dillashaw who gets his hand raised at the end. Then you have Cruz who is injured … again and lastly you have Dillashaw’s teammate Faber. With Cruz and Faber both unlikely options for a fight at the moment, that leaves Dillashaw wide open for a super fight should he best Barao. If Dillashaw and Johnson square off, Dillashaw would have a huge power advantage. When you pair his power with his new found love for kickboxing, you have a dangerous weapon. Since he started training with former UFC fighter Duane Ludwig, there has been a noticeable improvement in his footwork and striking. And ironically many have compared his new style to that of Johnson’s. Dillashaw is also a great wrestler and if he can use his power and wrestling to control Johnson from using overwhelming movement, Dillashaw might be able to come away with a win.
This matchup would be must see TV for a guy like myself. It’s not everyday that two champions square off to prove who is the best of the best. Better yet is the possibility of a multiple weight class champion becoming a reality. So here is my plea to UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, UFC President Dana White and UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. Please, for all that is good and right in the world, bring together these two athletes inside the Octagon and allow the masses to witness history be made. Do not deprive us of what could be one of the most talked about fights in the last decade. Besides, it could make you all a lot of money; you’ll certainly get my $60.00.
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