Saturday night, Montreal was treated to a UFC flyweight championship match between incumbent king of the hill Demetrious Johnson and challenger Kyoji Horiguchi. It was a fight that did not seem to capture much fanfare, but when it was all said and done, it was one for the record books.
Johnson, considered a top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, continued his dominant reign atop the 125-pound mountain. With a superior overall game and transitions that seemed to befuddle his Japanese counterpart, Johnson owned most of the 24 minutes and 59 seconds of the fight.
Then it happened.
With one second remaining in the entire fight, Johnson produced an armbar that had Horiguchi surrender before time could expire. It is the latest stoppage in the UFC history, one certain to shed Johnson in an even more positive light going forward.
For Horiguchi, it’s back to the drawing board, though the young fighter is certainly one to watch for going forward. Let’s take a look at a couple fights that make sense for him in his next appearance.
Jussier Formiga-Wilson Reis loser
There is a pivotal bout taking place in Brazil in the near future between two top Brazilian flyweights. Their aim is for a potential title shot against the champion Johnson, which either man can snag with an impressive win.
However, the loser is back down the ladder looking to make his way back up. That is a similar position that Horiguchi is in, which makes a logical potential fight here.
Horiguchi is coming off a title shot that he lost. You have Formiga, who is on an impressive two-fight surge over Scott Jorgensen and Zach Makovsky, and Reis, who is on a winning streak against Jorgensen and Joby Sanchez.
The winner goes into the title talks, while the loser squares off with Horiguchi in what can be considered a big 125-pound showdown.
Chris Cariaso
Chris Cariaso was recently defeated in a UFC title bout against Johnson. Horiguchi was recently defeated in a UFC title bout against Johnson.
Sounds like a good storyline to me in terms of a next fight.
Previous to his title loss to Johnson, Cariaso was on a strong three-fight winning streak that earned him a crack at the title. However, his subsequent loss to Johnson, coupled with a follow-up defeat at the hands of Henry Cejudo, really has him on the outside looking in.
He would either get a huge rebound against Horiguchi, or the Japanese fighter would return to the title picture. This is a matchup that makes a lot of sense.
Dustin Ortiz
One of the true dark horses of the 125-pound division, Dustin Ortiz is often times overlooked. However, he is a valuable asset in the division and underrated.
That said, he is coming off a loss in his last fight like Horiguchi.
It’s a great rebound fight for both men, as they similarly lost to Top Three opponents in their last fight. For Ortiz, it was a decision loss to perennial contender Joseph Benavidez.
Stick these two in the cage, lock the door and watch a masterpiece unfold. It’s a potential Fight of the Night on any card you put it on.
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