Heading into UFC 142, many were looking forward to the middleweight debut of dynamic striker and standout wrestler Anthony Johnson (11-3), who will be facing former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort (20-9) in the co-main event.
At the weigh-ins, Johnson came in 11 pounds over the middleweight limit of 186. Belfort accepted the fight at a catchweight of 197 pounds, and Johnson was forced to give 20 percent of his purse to the Brazilian. On top of that, Johnson had to weigh in earlier today and not be over 205. He weighed in at 204, making the fight official.
There is a lot of pressure on Belfort fighting in front of his home-country at the HSBC Arena in Brazil. For Johnson, there was little to no pressure for him to perform until the weigh in. Now, he has the added pressure of missing weight, which didn’t go over well with UFC president Dana White, who has come out afterwards and said Johnson’s UFC career is on the line, win or lose.
Whatever gameplan Johnson had beforehand may have been changed due to White’s comments, and if the pre-fight press-conference was of any indication, he had full intentions of taking his opponent down and working from in guard for however long it takes or until the final bell rings. That is what he needs to do to win here, but it can’t secure him a position at a later date in the UFC if it’s not a fan-friendly fight.
Many fans are expecting both to put on a stand-up battle, and that might be what they get if Johnson makes a last-minute decision to let it all go and hope he does enough to keep his job, even if it comes at the expense of losing a fight he can win in less exciting fashion.
If Johnson decides to stand and trade with his opponent, it could work against him, especially early on when Belfort is at his best. The 27-year-old has shown he can be flashy with his kicks and strikes, but he hasn’t tested them against any other quality strikers like Belfort. If he does test it out here, expect it to come later in the fight when Belfort won’t be as dangerous.
Most, if not all, danger can be avoided if Johnson shoots early and tries to wear down Belfort on the ground. “The Phenom” can be dangerous with his submissions, but there isn’t too much for Johnson to worry about outside of an occasional armbar attempt.
A decision victory could be in the works if Johnson does this, but to call it a “victory” when his job in the UFC may be over won’t leave him too happy.
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