(Hell yeah bro, if you’re not psyched for this one you’re just not a real f-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.)
As first reported by Yahoo!’s Kevin Iole, UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2: Seriously? Already? (August 30th; Sacramento, CA) will also feature flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson facing challenger Chris Cariaso in the co-main event.
It’ll be a brisk 11-week turnaround for Johnson, who successfully made his fourth title-defense against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174 last month, in spite of Bagautinov loading up on EPO during his training camp. [Ed. note: Mighty Mouse deserves some extra cash for that. Can the UFC institute a “Sorry We Made You Fight a Juicer” bonus?] Fun fact, via Iole: “Given that UFC 176 was canceled, Johnson will appear in two of the last three pay-per-view shows when he steps into the cage on Aug. 30.” And of course, Dillashaw and Barao will appear in two of the last four, since they previously got it on at UFC 173.
Chris Cariaso is just 4-2 as a flyweight, but has won his last three bouts against Iliarde Santos (0-3 UFC record), Danny Martinez (0-2 UFC record), and Louis Smolka (1-1 UFC record) — not exactly a murderer’s row of top competition. Fun fact, via me: The split-decision that Cariaso notched against Smolka represented the first time that Cariaso has ever appeared on a UFC main card, back in May at UFC Fight Night 40. And this guy is getting a title shot, because the UFC is struggling to fill out this pay-per-view card. Times are getting hard, boys.
And so, UFC 177′s buyrate has shot up from an estimated 95,000 buys to a solid 110,000 with the addition of Johnson/Cariaso. I kid the flyweights. Sort of. I mean, they’re awesome and everything, but good luck convincing paying customers of that.