As it turns out, we might not love mixed martial arts the way we claim to. You see, Demetrious Johnson is the living embodiment of what we hoped the sport would turn into.
Technically precise, mistake-free, wildly athletic, composed, adaptive. These are the base elements of brilliance that we reject when we shrug our shoulders at Johnson, which many of us often seem to do. And make no mistake, he is nothing short of brilliant.
In fact, after wiping out John Dodson for a second time, this time at UFC 191 on Saturday, we’ve seen enough from Johnson to know that he is peerless in his division. That is why the time is right for him to move up and fight bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw.
DJ vs. TJ. It has a certain ring to it, a je ne sais quoi that comes when two legitimate champs put their shiny gold belts down and their fists up.
“We’ve had a conversation about bantamweight in the office,” an unmarked Johnson said on the post-fight press conference podium, stealing a knowing glance at UFC President Dana White. “He might not remember. I do, clear as day.”
It makes a surprising amount of sense. During his title reign, Johnson has beaten Nos. 1 (twice), 2 (twice), 4, 6 and 7. The UFC flyweight champion hasn’t gotten around to Nos. 3 (Jussier Formiga) and 5 (Henry Cejudo) yet because even superheroes need rest, but does it really matter? By now, he has separated himself from the rest of the divisional pack so completely that it’s really not necessary.
If the rest of the division has yet to throw up the white flag in his presence, it’s only because he’s too quick to track down.
Besides that, this is prizefighting, and Johnson has unfortunate and real problems. He doesn’t draw. He doesn’t excite. He doesn’t inspire. These are major sources of angst for the insular fight world, which examines the problem from every angle whenever DJ shows up at fight week.
From the outside looking in, it is a somewhat strange phenomenon. Major League Baseball media doesn’t spend much time examining the horrendous attendance of the Tampa Bay Rays, and NFL scribes don’t scratch their heads wondering why DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t have the high profile of Dez Bryant, but it’s hard to ignore the apathetic reaction that too often accompanies Johnson to his title defenses.
It was more of the same on Saturday night in Las Vegas, with far too many jeers and heckles for one of the best fighters walking this spinning orb. “Drunk dummies,” White called them in the post-fight press conference, and he may have a point. UFC events are lengthy and draining—true investments of money, emotion and time that can catch fire or devolve into monotony. That volatile dynamic is why the fans demand so much of the headliners.
The trick of it all is that few can do it by themselves. Even the best need a rival, a foil who can bring out their best in personality (to sell the fight) and performance (to make it memorable).
Dillashaw would seem a good match in that regard, a chance for fans to invest themselves in a Johnson match in a new and meaningful way. However, White didn’t seem as interested in the idea as you might have thought, indicating there was some surprise in store for Johnson when he’s ready to roll again.
“There’s always a contender, man,” White said. “And we are working on something right now. When it happens, you’ll agree.”
Unless he’s in another division, nah, we probably won’t.
Dillashaw needs Johnson as much as the inverse is true. While Dillashaw is much earlier in his reign—just two successful title defenses to Johnson’s seven—only a matchup with former champ Dominick Cruz would offer anything comparable, and Cruz is still officially on the shelf recovering from yet another knee surgery.
If Cruz isn’t ready, the UFC could do a lot worse than set up two champions who have no other ready-made rivals. The fight itself would be fascinating, a blur of footwork and hand speed. And while Dillashaw would have a clear size advantage, Johnson was no slouch at bantamweight before the UFC instituted his more natural weight class, as he advanced all the way to a championship match loss to Cruz via decision.
If the UFC decides against it, there just isn’t much in the pipeline to help Johnson boost his Q rating.
The problem Johnson has is the same one that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has: No one buys prizefights for subtlety. Johnson wins in the margins that only true students of the game spend time looking at. His footwork cuts off the cage. His head movement ensures no return target when he fires first. His transitions from striking to grappling to wrestling (and sometimes back) are sublime.
The frustration isn’t in beating Johnson; it’s in getting to him at all.
Of the remaining 125ers he hasn’t faced, there simply isn’t anyone left who inspires hope for a competitive fight. It’s a DJ world, earned and deserved. So for those of us who want to see him break through or simply be challenged, T.J. Dillashaw is the answer.
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