After a series of very public fueds between UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and president Dana White, it appears as if “Mighty Mouse” will get what he wants, but at the expense of his popularity, according to White. While White and the UFC tried to put together a so-called super fight between Johnson and former […]
After a series of very public fueds between UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and president Dana White, it appears as if “Mighty Mouse” will get what he wants, but at the expense of his popularity, according to White.
While White and the UFC tried to put together a so-called super fight between Johnson and former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, “Mighty Mouse” was adamant about facing Ray Borg, who he felt had earned a title shot.
“You want Ray Borg, we’ll give you Ray Borg,” White told MMA Junkie. “I’m sure the fans will be clamoring, and ticket sales will be through the roof and pay-per-views will be off the charts.”
“I’m not thrilled with Demetrious Johnson,” White said. “You’re the pound-for-pound best in the world, T.J. Dillashaw challenges you – one of the best in the world, former world champion – and you flat out deny the fight, flat out say, ‘I won’t do it. I want Ray Borg.’
“Who wouldn’t want to see Demetrious Johnson vs. T.J. Dillashaw? Dillashaw calling me every day: ‘I’m cutting weight. I’m cutting weight. I’m dieting. I’m training. I’m cutting weight. Do I got the fight? Do I got the fight?’ Ask T.J. Dillashaw next time you see him or you interview him. Calling me every day, chomping at the bit for the fight. You expect the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world to go, ‘Let’s do it.’”
White and Johnson have gone back and forth in the media regarding the Dillashaw fight, but it appears that the often brash UFC president has given up on trying to make that fight happen.
“Mighty Mouse” very rarely defends his belt on pay-per-view, rather the lack of popularity of Johnson and his weight division in general usually force the UFC to put his title defenses on free FOX cards.
Of course, White’s point was to make him more popular with a fight against a former champ and well-known fighter in Dillashaw, but Johnson stuck to his guns and instead will likely fight Borg, the number five ranked flyweight.
At one point in time, UFC President Dana White said that he would be ‘thrilled’ if the UFC could one day become as big as top American sports leagues such as the NFL, the NBA, or the MLB: “I think that the NFL is a monster — it’s amazing what they’ve done with it,” White […]
At one point in time, UFC President Dana White said that he would be ‘thrilled’ if the UFC could one day become as big as top American sports leagues such as the NFL, the NBA, or the MLB:
“I think that the NFL is a monster — it’s amazing what they’ve done with it,” White told the Baltimore Sun back in 2007. “The NBA, Major League Baseball — I think they all do very well. The one thing I think, if we can emulate any of those three I’d be thrilled. Those are three of the biggest sports in the United States.”
“One of the things that we want to avoid that I think happens is that the players got too big. The players don’t talk to the fans. The players don’t go out of their way to sign autographs and to do the things that I think would make [these sports] even bigger than [they are] today.”
“And that’s one of the things that we’re going to make sure doesn’t happen here in the UFC — where the guys just become untouchable.”
While it has become common knowledge to take what White says with a grain of salt, this statement stirs up a bit of irony, specifically in regards to the current state of the UFC.
In fact, one may argue that the UFC has never been farther from following the guidelines that other sports leagues have set. Sure, the promotion introduced the additions of USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) and Reebok back in 2015 in hopes of legitimizing the sport of MMA, but it seems as if these additions, the Reebok deal specifically, have only caused more controversy.
Recently, a plethora of fighters have begun to speak up and voice their displeasure with the behavior of the UFC and the treatment they have received from the UFC, which was purchased for by talent agency WME-IMG for a record-setting $4.2 billion last year.
The latest statement, and perhaps the most staggering, came from dominant flyweight champion and reigning pound-for-pound Demetrious Johnson. Johnson, who recently tied Anderson Silva’s record for most consecutive title defenses with 10, is a world-class fighter, but he has often been labeled as underappreciated.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY
His current situation involves a potential fight with former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, who, after having his scheduled UFC 213 bout with bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt scrapped, suggested that he drop down in weight to challenge “Mighty Mouse”.
White also expressed interest in the fight and he told ESPN.com that the promotion was targeting it for August. This, however, was news to Johnson who quickly rejected the fight, instead expressing his interest in taking on top flyweight contender Ray Borg.
The disagreement between Johnson and White has gained quite a bit of steam and the champion recently released a statement indicating that the promotion’s ‘mistreatment and bullying’had finally forced him to speak out.
“Mighty Mouse” then appeared on yesterday’s (Mon., June 5, 2017) edition of The MMA Hour where he revealed that White had actually threatened to ‘get rid’ of the flyweight division if Johnson didn’t accept the fight with Dillashaw:
“I said close the mother f*cking division then,” Johnson said. “Because if somebody is willing to do that, that just shows you that they have no interest whatsoever of working with the champion. I never missed weight, always showed up on time, did all of my interviews on fight week, traveled to Australia in coach two times for the flyweight division. I’ve done a lot.”
“I respect the UFC saying, ‘Hey, we’re gonna close your f*cking division, take T.J. to fight,’” Johnson said. “Sounds good. Here’s my stance: Go ahead and f*cking close it. Like I respect them being honest and straightforward with it. But don’t expect me to be, ‘OK, I’ll take the TJ fight if you’re gonna close my division.’ No, no, no, no. That’s not how it works. What have I been doing the last five years in this division? Trying to make it the best division in the world.”
If this is indeed true, White has completely gone away from what he had said his hopes and plans were for the UFC back in 2007. First off, Johnson is arguably the best fighter in the world and arguably the best champion of all-time. It’d be quite difficult to find another sport where the “best” is treated as he has claimed to be treated by the league, or in this case the promotion.
Secondly, if the UFC were to actually do away with the flyweight division, it would essentially be saying that talent and rankings do not matter. Johnson will likely never be the biggest draw, nor will the flyweight division ever be the most popular division, but how could the UFC justify getting rid of a division in which the world’s best fighter is simply trying to fight the top contenders over and over again?
Well, that justification would come in the fact that the UFC would be making it clear that it is no longer concerned with being a legitimate sport, but rather it is focused on being a spectacle, with ratings, money fights and show reigning supreme. White’s hope of avoiding stars becoming ‘too big’ will also mean very little.
In the midst of this turmoil, however, Johnson will look to keep what White once hoped for alive:
“This is a sport foremost,” he told Helwani. “I see this as a sport. I will keep it as a sport as best to my ability and that’s what I believe I’m doing.”
Whether or not “Mighty Mouse” is successful here remains to be seen, but do you agree with his stance? Should he continue to fight for what he believes in and continue to attempt to legitimize MMA, or is the UFC simply too much of a spectacle at this point?
Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was scheduled to take on reigning champion and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 in Las Vegas, Nevada, but “No Love” was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering back issues. When news broke indicating that Garbrandt was unable to compete, Dillashaw […]
Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was scheduled to take on reigning champion and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 in Las Vegas, Nevada, but “No Love” was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering back issues.
When news broke indicating that Garbrandt was unable to compete, Dillashaw proposed an intriguing idea that involved him dropping down to 125 pounds to take on dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. UFC President Dana White liked the idea as well and even went as far to say that the UFC is targeting the bout for August.
“Mighty Mouse” hasn’t showed much interest in the bout, but Duane Ludwig, Dillashaw’s head coach, feels as if there’s no better time for the ex-champion to drop down in weight:
“If there’s any time for TJ to drop down to 125, the sooner the better,” Ludwig recently told BJ Penn Radio . “He won’t be able to make ’25 as the years go on and he matures and gets bigger. If there’s any time to do it, it’s now.”
Ludwig also revealed that Dillashaw is working with a new strength and conditioning coach in order to get his weight down, while adding in that he expects his star pupil to become a two division world champion:
“He’s working with Sam Calavitta, who is a really good strength and conditioning coach who also has the dieting down,” Ludwig said. “So it’s working out well that we do fight Demetrious. We split up the camp to a month later [in August] and have more time to work with Sam Calavitta and get the weight down, get nice and strong at belt weight, get the belt, pop back up to 135 and get that belt either later in the year or next year.”
Dillashaw’s next fight has not yet been finalized, but who would you like to see him face next?
Last night (May 23, 2017), ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt, who’s been dealing with back issues, was officially off UFC 213 and that his scheduled fight with ex-titleholder and bitter rival TJ Dillashaw had been scrapped. Okamoto also reported that the UFC was planning to have Dillashaw move down in weight […]
“Mighty Mouse”, however, took to his official Twitter account shortly thereafter to deny this claim, saying that he’s waiting for his contract to take on No. 3-ranked Ray Borg:
Just so the world know I haven’t agreed to anything still waiting on my contract to fight @tazmexufc not @TJDillashaw if he wants a title
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) May 24, 2017
Shot he can come to flyweight and get a win then get his turn
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) May 24, 2017
Borg, who’s won back-to-back fights over Louis Smolka and Jussier Formiga was indeed originally going to be Johnson’s next opponent, but after Garbrandt-Dillashaw fell through, the UFC was presented with a new and likely more lucrative idea.
From a financial standpoint, Dillashaw certainly represents a bigger fight for Johnson, but he also represents one of the most difficult opponents the UFC could book “Mighty Mouse” against. Johnson’s next fight also holds major implications, as he’ll look to defend his 125-pound strap for a record setting 11th consecutive time. With his third round destruction of Wilson Reis at UFC on FOX 24 this past April, “Mighty Mouse” tied Anderson Silva’s all-time title defense record at 10.
Would you like to see Johnson take on Dillashaw next, or does Johnson’s desire to take on a deserving flyweight contender make more sense?
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was set to challenge current titleholder and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas, Nevada, but a back injury to “No Love” has put the bout in jeopardy. A recent report actually indicated that Garbrandt was no longer fighting on […]
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was set to challenge current titleholder and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas, Nevada, but a back injury to “No Love” has put the bout in jeopardy. A recent report actually indicated that Garbrandt was no longer fighting on July 8 and Dillashaw told ESPN.com that he was ’99 percent’ sure the fight was off.
If he doesn’t fight Garbrandt in July, Dillashaw has expressed interest in dropping down in weight to challenge dominant flyweight champion and pound-for-pound king Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. In fact, Dillashaw, who says he’s spoken to UFC President Dana White regarding the idea, says he could meet Johnson in August:
“I was told that if Cody is out of the fight, which I am 99 percent sure he is, I will be fighting [Johnson] in August,” Dillashaw said. “I texted Dana White three days ago to ask what the deal was. He told me Cody had one more day of injections [in Germany] and then we’d find out what was going on.
“Dana was really excited about that. I don’t know if [Johnson] wants to turn down the fight or what. I don’t really know how that works. I’ve never turned down a fight from the UFC before. I don’t know if you’re really allowed to — but Dana was very excited about it.”
White has indeed expressed interest in the idea, although Johnson has remained relatively quiet regarding the potential clash. “Mighty Mouse”, who recently tied Anderson Silva’s all-time consecutive title defenses record at 10, will look to make the 11th defense of his 125-pound strap in his next bout, breaking a record in the process.
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Dillashaw feels as if Johnson should attempt to break this record in a ‘big’ fight like the one he’s proposed:
“If this fight doesn’t happen, it really comes down to him not wanting to fight me,” Dillashaw said. “I’m cutting in line? Are you kidding? That was the weakest cop-out ever.
“I want to fight the best fighter in the world and I think he does nothing but tarnish his legacy if he doesn’t take it. He can’t call himself the greatest of all time if there are big fights coming to him and he’s turning them down. He wants to break a record fighting someone no one’s ever heard of? Why not make this thing epic and sell it? He’s been talking about getting paid; this is the way to do it.”
The ex-bantamweight champion has never competed at 125 pounds before and although he admits it’d be a tough weight cut, he feels as if it’d be worth it as well. Dillashaw is also working with a new nutritionist and would make the necessary changes in order to make the flyweight limit safely:
“The way I’m going to do it is switch up the way I work out,” Dillashaw said. “I’m still going to eat well, but my diet will be very different. It will almost be an Ironman [triathlon] approach, lot of aerobic workouts. It’s going to be a hell of a change for me. I’m not a big 135-pounder but I’m lean year-round.
“Right now, I’m at like 9 percent body fat. I’m willing to cut myself to a little under 6 percent. We’ve got it all calculated out and it’s going to be a lot of work, but if the juice is worth the squeeze, you do it.”
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is currently scheduled to take on reigning 135-pound king and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 in Las Vegas, Nevada during International Fight Week. Garbrandt, however, is currently dealing with back issues, putting the highly anticipated grudge match in jeopardy. If “No
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is currently scheduled to take on reigning 135-pound king and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 in Las Vegas, Nevada during International Fight Week.
Garbrandt, however, is currently dealing with back issues, putting the highly anticipated grudge match in jeopardy.
If “No Love” is indeed unable to make it on fight night, Dillashaw has another idea: drop down to 125 pounds and take on the ‘scared’ Demetrious Johnson:
“I’m willing to drop down to fight Demetrious at 125 (pounds) cause he’s trying to break this record, it’s a big deal,” Dillashaw told Submission Radio. “No one wants to see him fight someone that he doesn’t know or somebody he’s already beaten for this record. He’s talking about how much money he wants to make on his next fight, well he’s not gonna do that by fighting number eights and tens. It’s not a super fight, I’m coming down to 125. It’s a challenger at his weight class that will give him the biggest challenge possible, and that’s what he’s scared of. He wants to take an easier fight that’s going to get him the record so that he can have the most title defenses in UFC history. You can’t call yourself the best pound-for-pound fighter if you’re gonna dodge me. I’ve got the utmost respect for Demetrious Johnson. But this comes down to you selling a fight. He wants to make some big money? Let’s do it, man. This is about as big as it’s gonna get for him.”
A fight between Dillashaw and Johnson was often discussed when Dillashaw was holding the 135-pound title, but Johnson had said that he would only move up in weight for a tremendous sum of money. Now, however, “Killashaw” is willing to come to him.
“Mighty Mouse” recently defended his title for the 10th consecutive time at UFC on FOX 24, putting on a dominant performance against Wilson Reis. In his next fight, he will indeed look to break Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive title defenses in promotional history.
If Garbrandt isn’t healthy enough to fight at UFC 213, would you like to see Johnson and Dillashaw do battle for flyweight gold?
