There has been talk for years regarding superfights, usually involving Anderson Silva, that have never materialized.
But after a flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson pitched a shutout for four rounds and then finished John Moraga with an armbar late in the fifth, he threw out his own superfight challenge.
“I’ve beaten the best in the flyweight division,” he said. “There’s a couple of flyweights I wouldn’t mind fighting. I think we can make some fun super fights with the bantamweights. I’m just here to fight, put on a good time and put on a good performance for the fans.”
Johnson spent much of his career as a bantamweight, and was good enough to have an exciting fight a few years back in losing to champion Dominick Cruz via decision.
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“If Demetrious says he wanted to fight the champion at 135, I’d have to talk to the matchmakers and see what they think,” said UFC President Dana White. “I don’t hate the idea.”
Johnson threw out that superfights are supposed to be money fights. He would be giving up significant size, but he fought most of his career as a bantamweight, and was competitive in that division, good enough to earn a title shot at champion Dominick Cruz, and lost an exciting decision.
Johnson (18-2-1) noted that Renan Barao and Cruz, the interim and current champion, are both big 135-pounders. He said he felt Cruz, who has been out for well over a year due to two reconstructive knee surgeries, had better wrestling and footwork but Barao was more dangerous a finisher.
“That’s something to throw out there,” he said.
Nick Diaz still retired
On a night that featured two key welterweight division fights on the FOX card, the subject of Nick Diaz came up as a potential opponent to the two winners, Rory MacDonald or Robbie Lawler.
But Dana White indicated not thinking in that direction.
“Nick’s retired,” said White.
While there had been reports of Diaz wanting to fight again, and Cesar Gracie saying that he had been talked with about a fight, White denied both stories. He noted that he had spoken with Diaz recently about a number of things, but Diaz didn’t ask for a fight, nor did he offer him one.
Pettis’ path to title shot
White was also asked at the media scrum about Anthony Pettis getting cleared for a title shot at lightweight champion Benson Henderson on Aug. 31 in Milwaukee after suffering a meniscus tear.
The tear forced Pettis out of an originally scheduled featherweight title match with Jose Aldo on Aug. 3 in Brazil. At the time, Pettis said he wanted a shot at Henderson. White, who had signed T.J. Grant for the spot, said that the UFC doctors who examined Pettis’ knee said he wouldn’t be ready for a fight that soon.
Then, when Grant pulled out of the fight after a slow recovery from a concussion in training, Pettis got the shot, in his hometown. The fight was a natural at some point, as their fight for the WEC lightweight title in 2010, featured one of the most memorable finishes in MMA history with the “Showtime kick.”
White said Pettis underwent four weeks of rehab on the knee, was examined and the doctors said he would be ready.