Tag: Demetrious Johnson

UFC 186: Early Predictions for Johnson vs. Horiguchi Main Event

If you ask the casual MMA fan who the top three pound-for-pound fighters in MMA are, Demetrious Johnson’s name probably won’t come up. 
The list is guaranteed to have Jon Jones. Ronda Rousey and Cain Velasquez are not only switching to Metro but l…

If you ask the casual MMA fan who the top three pound-for-pound fighters in MMA are, Demetrious Johnson’s name probably won’t come up. 

The list is guaranteed to have Jon Jones. Ronda Rousey and Cain Velasquez are not only switching to Metro but likely on the list as well. Perhaps even Jose Aldo—or as he’s more known these days—”the guy fighting Conor McGregor.”

Chris Weidman could also be on the list. After all, he’s the one who took down Anderson Silva. 

But the one they call Mighty Mouse isn’t likely to be found. Yet if you look at the pound-for-pound rankings on UFC.com as of April 20, he’ll be there at No. 3.

After seven consecutive wins in the Octagon, Johnson is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves in the rankings. At UFC 186, he’ll attempt to prove he’s earned the accolades he receives against Kyoji Horiguchi. 

Horiguchi has put together a nice winning streak since coming into the UFC. He’s a perfect 4-0 since joining the organization, and at only 24 years old, his potential as a contender is intriguing. MMA Infographics breaks down the records of both fighters:

So is the young Horiguchi prepared to spring an upset on the titan of his division? Here’s a look at how he matches up with the champion along with an early prediction for just how the fight will shake out Saturday.

 

When: Saturday, April 25

Start Time: Fight Pass prelims at 7 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 prelims at 8 p.m. ET; main card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Live Stream: UFC.tv

 

Fight Preview

Looking at the odds for this bout, Vegas isn’t too confident in Horiguchi‘s ability to find a way to beat the champion. Odds Shark pegs the challenger as a 6-1 underdog for Saturday’s main event. 

In actuality, the odds seem even steeper than that. Looking at the way these two match up, Horiguchi only has one path to victory. With nine of his 15 wins coming by way of knockout or TKO, he stands a puncher’s chance against Johnson. 

Here’s how the two stack up statistically, via FightMetric:

The problem for Horiguchi is that Johnson has seen powerful strikers before. As Brian Hemminger of MMAOddsBreaker points out, Joseph Benavidez and John Dodson were dangerous challengers in their own right:

The difference between Horiguchi and those other two strikers might be in his style, though. The Norifumi Yamamoto-trained fighter doesn’t always have the most orthodox angles and footwork, meaning he can sneak in and out of striking range without relying on being quicker than Johnson on the feet. 

The body kick that Horiguchi landed early in his bout against Jon Delos Reyes is a great example:

The greatest challenge for the Horiguchi won’t be keeping up on the feet, though. It’s going to be getting it to stay on the feet. When Johnson has sensed a talent disparity in the wrestling department, he’s often taken advantage. He took down John Moraga 12 times and Dodson five, according to FightMetric. 

Where Johnson chooses to take this fight ultimately becomes the storyline to watch as this bout unfolds. 

 

Prediction

This fight bears some resemblance to the aforementioned Johnson vs. Moraga matchup. Moraga came into the bout with Johnson as a promising prospect who had made a good impression in his few UFC bouts but ultimately had very little to offer the champion.

What ensued was a five-round beatdown that ended with Johnson getting a submission victory.

Ultimately, this feels like it’s a classic case of too much, too soon for the young Horiguchi. With his unique style and knockout power, the potential is there for him to be an excellent contender in the flyweight division, perhaps champion.

However, as Patrick Wyman of Sherdog notes, this just feels like poor timing for the challenger:

Horiguchi himself disagrees, of course. “This is the perfect time for me to get a title shot,” Horiguchi said via Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie. “As usual, I’m going to work very hard in training and have a hard training camp before the fight. I am going for the victory and going for the title.”

If Horiguchi‘s karate style can throw Johnson’s rhythm off early, things could get surprisingly more interesting. 

However, the more likely scenario is one in which Johnson sets the tone early. Rather than stand and exchange strikes with the younger fighter looking to make a name for himself, Johnson will look to turn the fight into a wrestling match. 

If he’s successful doing that early on, things will get ugly quick for Horiguchi. Johnson has found a way to finish three of his last four opponents, and that’s a trend that should continue here. 

Prediction: Johnson via second-Round TKO

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious Johnson Fires Back at His Haters

Demetrious Johnson doesn’t care if you’ll check out UFC 186. In an interview with Sherdog Radio (via Steve Hauser of Bloody Elbow), Johnson states:

I can’t talk about me getting frustrated. I really don’t care if people are like, ‘He sucks. I’m not b…

Demetrious Johnson doesn’t care if you’ll check out UFC 186. In an interview with Sherdog Radio (via Steve Hauser of Bloody Elbow), Johnson states:

I can’t talk about me getting frustrated. I really don’t care if people are like, ‘He sucks. I’m not buying that card.’ I’m like, ‘Good for you. Go watch something else.’ That’s totally fine.

[…]

Now, if people don’t want to tune in, that’s their f—–g bad. But they’re going to miss a kick-ass fight between me and Kyoji Horiguchi.

A Johnson-headlined card has suffered some of the lowest buy rates in UFC history. According to MMAPayout.com, his last two pay-per-view cards (174 and 178) brought in 115,000 and 205,000 buys, respectively.

UFC 186 was shaping up to be a good card with a TJ Dillashaw-Renan Barao rematch for the bantamweight title and the return of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. However, due to injuries and legal issues, many fans are left wondering whether the $60 will be worth it. There have even been questions about whether the card should be cancelled, as Bleacher Report’s own Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden discussed. 

It is unfortunate that Johnson hasn’t caught on with MMA fans. He has the typical fighter story of a rough upbringing, and he defied all odds to be where he is now.

B/R’s Jordy McElroy makes a great point about how, unlike in other sports, those in combat sports are responsible for their own marketing efforts. McElroy also points out that while MMA purists are into the technical aspect of the sport, less hardcore fans are interested in the name value.

This may upset the hardcore fans of the sport, but our society is drawn to drama, as noted by our interest in reality TV. That’s what draws people to fighters who could be perceived as heels, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Conor McGregor.

Johnson doesn’t have that “bad guy” persona. In fact, fighters such as Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall called him a “nerd.”

Maybe all the smack talking by all the haters will bring out that fire in “Mighty Mouse.” He could create a spectacle by firing back at his doubters, but that doesn’t seem to be in his nature.

Johnson is an exciting fighter to watch, and combined with his persona, he could be the Manny Pacquiao of MMA. In order to achieve that, he will have to destroy fighters who have a higher marketing value. However, in the flyweight division, there is no one who could be his Mayweather. 

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Question: Should Zuffa Cancel Depleted UFC 186 Card?

UFC 186, the latest in a string of utterly cursed fight cards, took another hit on Tuesday morning when a New Jersey judge granted an injunction to Bellator that will prevent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from fighting against Fabio Maldonado in the co-mai…

UFC 186, the latest in a string of utterly cursed fight cards, took another hit on Tuesday morning when a New Jersey judge granted an injunction to Bellator that will prevent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from fighting against Fabio Maldonado in the co-main event, as reported by Fox Sports’ Damon Martin.

A card that once featured two title fights (neither of which were highly anticipated) now features just one: Demetrious Johnson will defend the strawweight title against Kyoji Horiguchi. Johnson, for all his fighting wizardry, has not resonated with the public as a drawing card and is defending his title against a virtual unknown.

On the surface, it appears that Jackson was the drawing card on the show. Now he’s gone, either back to Bellator or into lawsuit purgatory. The point being, he’s not fighting on this card, and whatever interest was left in the show either completely evaporated or, at the very least, took a massive hit.

To discuss the UFC’s options for this faulty card, lead writers Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden—Bleacher Report’s version of Thelma and Louise—team up once again to answer The Question: Should UFC 186 be canceled?

 

Jeremy: We’ve only seen two event cancellations in UFC history. Both of them lost their main drawing cards and utterly fell apart, and the only available response was to pull the plug on them.

That’s the same thing that happened here. Well, that’s assuming you think there was ever a drawing card at all on this event. There was some intrigue back when it had two title fights and Rory MacDonald vs. Hector Lombard. Now? The UFC’s worst-drawing champion is in the main event, and the one guy who added any intrigue is gone (Jackson). Sure, there’s stil a championship fight on the card. But it’s not a drawing card.

I suspect this one will push the limits and show up just how low the UFC’s pay-per-view basement can go. I think you’re looking at 75,000 buys, tops, and that’s if the hardcore fans tune in. If they don’t, this could get even uglier. They need to pull the plug on this one.

 

Jonathan: This card, to put it politely, is dung. Drizzling dung.

That may sound harsh to your ears—and maybe it is. Truth be told, UFC 186 is not really so different than the kind of fight cards we see routinely on Fox Sports 1, filled with older fighters trying to earn one final payday and new stars looking desperately to make a name for themselves.

I love those cards. In the right circumstances, I could love this one as well. The distinction here is strictly economic.

Imagine, if you will, a favorite restaurant. Say that restaurant serves nuggets made of chicken. Jeremy, I know, would dig that.

But what if, on one random Saturday night in April, the nuggets you’re used to buying for a pittance were suddenly $60? Not forever—just this time, and seemingly without justification.

Clearly, that’s not right. As a consumer, you’d be outraged. Sure, you understand that filet mignon costs $60. It should. If cooked just right, it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted in your life, each bite a delectable delight.

But freaking chicken nuggets?

That’s what the UFC is doing here. They are offering nuggets at the same price they charge for a nice medium-rare steak. And they’re hoping fans are so hungry and desperate that they’ll pay despite knowing full well they’re being swindled.

Does that seem like good business, Jeremy?

 

Jeremy: It does not. Though I’ll also note that I am not exactly a businessman. And also? I’m hungry. You know I love chicken nuggets. This was a low blow by you, designed to make me go purchase and eat chicken nuggets. And you know what? It worked. I bought nuggets and consumed them, and now I hate myself.

Look, you’re right. This card is awful. And that’s unfortunate, because Demetrious Johnson is an awesome fighter and probably deserves respect and money. But he just has not connected with the fans, and maybe he never will.

But the UFC isn’t going to cancel this. On Monday afternoon, they issued a statement saying they were “surprised” by the court’s decision to side with Bellator and that they were moving forward with UFC 186 as planned. Which means pay-per-view. I’m not sure that’s the right decision.

 

Jonathan: I’ve said it before. I’ll probably say it again. But the UFC simply doesn’t have the fighter roster to put on a monthly pay-per-view.

With its responsibilities to Fox and the international fight community, the promotion is spread thin. Kevin Durant thin.

Fighters anyone has ever heard of are at a premium, and fights that used to fill out a pay-per-view nicely are now themselves main events on less prestigious shows. There is no such thing as a stacked card—not anymore. Or at least, not without salvaging parts from broken and abandoned shows like UFC 186.

But despite this changing landscape, hardcore fans continue to purchase the monthly pay-per-view like clockwork. It’s little more than a habit at this point, but one the UFC ruthlessly exploits to separate us from our dollars with substandard shows like this one.

Unless fans tell the UFC, clearly and unambiguously, that a monthly pay-per-view doesn’t cut it, they will continue to pretend it’s 2010 until the end of time. And don’t bother trying to tell UFC president Dana White on Twitter. He’ll insult you or block you, hands plugging his ears.

No, there’s only one language American business understands. And it’s spoken in dollars and cents, not vowels and consonants.

 

Jeremy: I like the idea of going to a pay-per-view once every two months. I disagree that there is no such thing as a stacked card any more; UFC 187 and UFC 189 are perfect examples of the kinds of cards the UFC can put together. By my own personal definition, those cards are stacked.

If you dial back and just do pay-per-view every two months, you have a better chance of putting together more cards like that. Not only that, but you’d also be able to better recover when injuries force fighters to withdraw from cards. And to top it off, you’d have better cards to deliver to Fox, your television partner.

The UFC has put together an extraordinary year in terms of pay-per-view numbers. Ronda Rousey has emerged as a true draw. And the aforementioned UFC 187 and 189 events will make out like gangbusters at the box office. But there’s no question that UFC 186 will be a low point on the calendar, and that’s unfortunate.

 

Jonathan: I completely agree that UFC is capable of putting on great pay-per-view cards. That’s what made us fall in love with them in the first place. But in 2015, that only happens at the expense of others less fortunate. UFC 187 and UFC 189 shined so brightly, requiring stars meant for shows like this one.

The UFC knows this show is a dud. That’s why they’ve done almost nothing to promote it, focusing instead on all things Conor McGregor and UFC 189. The real victims here are fans from Montreal holding tickets for UFC 186. The rest of us have a choice whether or not to support this fiasco. They’re stuck with it.

Your solution, moving to a bimonthly PPV schedule, is the perfect medicine for all that ails UFC. It would go a long way toward making UFC events must-see television again. It would not only bolster each pay-per-view but would free up exciting fighters for some of their shows on Fox Sports 1 as well.

Listen, I want to love the UFC. There’s nothing better than a great night of fights. Unfortunately, it’s just not able to deliver that monthly. And until it can, it’s only right to stop asking the most loyal and steadfast fans to pick up the tab for those nuggets.

Demand steak for our $60, UFC fans. We deserve it!

 

Follow Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden on Twitter. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Question: Should Zuffa Cancel Depleted UFC 186 Card?

UFC 186, the latest in a string of utterly cursed fight cards, took another hit on Tuesday morning when a New Jersey judge granted an injunction to Bellator that will prevent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from fighting against Fabio Maldonado in the co-mai…

UFC 186, the latest in a string of utterly cursed fight cards, took another hit on Tuesday morning when a New Jersey judge granted an injunction to Bellator that will prevent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from fighting against Fabio Maldonado in the co-main event, as reported by Fox Sports’ Damon Martin.

A card that once featured two title fights (neither of which were highly anticipated) now features just one: Demetrious Johnson will defend the strawweight title against Kyoji Horiguchi. Johnson, for all his fighting wizardry, has not resonated with the public as a drawing card and is defending his title against a virtual unknown.

On the surface, it appears that Jackson was the drawing card on the show. Now he’s gone, either back to Bellator or into lawsuit purgatory. The point being, he’s not fighting on this card, and whatever interest was left in the show either completely evaporated or, at the very least, took a massive hit.

To discuss the UFC’s options for this faulty card, lead writers Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden—Bleacher Report’s version of Thelma and Louise—team up once again to answer The Question: Should UFC 186 be canceled?

 

Jeremy: We’ve only seen two event cancellations in UFC history. Both of them lost their main drawing cards and utterly fell apart, and the only available response was to pull the plug on them.

That’s the same thing that happened here. Well, that’s assuming you think there was ever a drawing card at all on this event. There was some intrigue back when it had two title fights and Rory MacDonald vs. Hector Lombard. Now? The UFC’s worst-drawing champion is in the main event, and the one guy who added any intrigue is gone (Jackson). Sure, there’s stil a championship fight on the card. But it’s not a drawing card.

I suspect this one will push the limits and show up just how low the UFC’s pay-per-view basement can go. I think you’re looking at 75,000 buys, tops, and that’s if the hardcore fans tune in. If they don’t, this could get even uglier. They need to pull the plug on this one.

 

Jonathan: This card, to put it politely, is dung. Drizzling dung.

That may sound harsh to your ears—and maybe it is. Truth be told, UFC 186 is not really so different than the kind of fight cards we see routinely on Fox Sports 1, filled with older fighters trying to earn one final payday and new stars looking desperately to make a name for themselves.

I love those cards. In the right circumstances, I could love this one as well. The distinction here is strictly economic.

Imagine, if you will, a favorite restaurant. Say that restaurant serves nuggets made of chicken. Jeremy, I know, would dig that.

But what if, on one random Saturday night in April, the nuggets you’re used to buying for a pittance were suddenly $60? Not forever—just this time, and seemingly without justification.

Clearly, that’s not right. As a consumer, you’d be outraged. Sure, you understand that filet mignon costs $60. It should. If cooked just right, it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted in your life, each bite a delectable delight.

But freaking chicken nuggets?

That’s what the UFC is doing here. They are offering nuggets at the same price they charge for a nice medium-rare steak. And they’re hoping fans are so hungry and desperate that they’ll pay despite knowing full well they’re being swindled.

Does that seem like good business, Jeremy?

 

Jeremy: It does not. Though I’ll also note that I am not exactly a businessman. And also? I’m hungry. You know I love chicken nuggets. This was a low blow by you, designed to make me go purchase and eat chicken nuggets. And you know what? It worked. I bought nuggets and consumed them, and now I hate myself.

Look, you’re right. This card is awful. And that’s unfortunate, because Demetrious Johnson is an awesome fighter and probably deserves respect and money. But he just has not connected with the fans, and maybe he never will.

But the UFC isn’t going to cancel this. On Monday afternoon, they issued a statement saying they were “surprised” by the court’s decision to side with Bellator and that they were moving forward with UFC 186 as planned. Which means pay-per-view. I’m not sure that’s the right decision.

 

Jonathan: I’ve said it before. I’ll probably say it again. But the UFC simply doesn’t have the fighter roster to put on a monthly pay-per-view.

With its responsibilities to Fox and the international fight community, the promotion is spread thin. Kevin Durant thin.

Fighters anyone has ever heard of are at a premium, and fights that used to fill out a pay-per-view nicely are now themselves main events on less prestigious shows. There is no such thing as a stacked card—not anymore. Or at least, not without salvaging parts from broken and abandoned shows like UFC 186.

But despite this changing landscape, hardcore fans continue to purchase the monthly pay-per-view like clockwork. It’s little more than a habit at this point, but one the UFC ruthlessly exploits to separate us from our dollars with substandard shows like this one.

Unless fans tell the UFC, clearly and unambiguously, that a monthly pay-per-view doesn’t cut it, they will continue to pretend it’s 2010 until the end of time. And don’t bother trying to tell UFC president Dana White on Twitter. He’ll insult you or block you, hands plugging his ears.

No, there’s only one language American business understands. And it’s spoken in dollars and cents, not vowels and consonants.

 

Jeremy: I like the idea of going to a pay-per-view once every two months. I disagree that there is no such thing as a stacked card any more; UFC 187 and UFC 189 are perfect examples of the kinds of cards the UFC can put together. By my own personal definition, those cards are stacked.

If you dial back and just do pay-per-view every two months, you have a better chance of putting together more cards like that. Not only that, but you’d also be able to better recover when injuries force fighters to withdraw from cards. And to top it off, you’d have better cards to deliver to Fox, your television partner.

The UFC has put together an extraordinary year in terms of pay-per-view numbers. Ronda Rousey has emerged as a true draw. And the aforementioned UFC 187 and 189 events will make out like gangbusters at the box office. But there’s no question that UFC 186 will be a low point on the calendar, and that’s unfortunate.

 

Jonathan: I completely agree that UFC is capable of putting on great pay-per-view cards. That’s what made us fall in love with them in the first place. But in 2015, that only happens at the expense of others less fortunate. UFC 187 and UFC 189 shined so brightly, requiring stars meant for shows like this one.

The UFC knows this show is a dud. That’s why they’ve done almost nothing to promote it, focusing instead on all things Conor McGregor and UFC 189. The real victims here are fans from Montreal holding tickets for UFC 186. The rest of us have a choice whether or not to support this fiasco. They’re stuck with it.

Your solution, moving to a bimonthly PPV schedule, is the perfect medicine for all that ails UFC. It would go a long way toward making UFC events must-see television again. It would not only bolster each pay-per-view but would free up exciting fighters for some of their shows on Fox Sports 1 as well.

Listen, I want to love the UFC. There’s nothing better than a great night of fights. Unfortunately, it’s just not able to deliver that monthly. And until it can, it’s only right to stop asking the most loyal and steadfast fans to pick up the tab for those nuggets.

Demand steak for our $60, UFC fans. We deserve it!

 

Follow Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden on Twitter. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 186 Loses TJ Dillashaw, And Therefore All Fan Interest, to Rib Injury


(WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT, TJ? CAN’T YOU SEE THAT *WE’RE* THE ONES IN REAL PAIN?!! via Getty.)

Perhaps the most shocking thing about UFC 185 was not the pair of title fight upsets that occurred that night, but that all of the fighters competing in said title fights even managed to make it to fight night at all. There aren’t many injury-free fighters like Jeremy Horn these days, to the point that the UFC is forced to abandon plans for a card containing just one title fight more often than not, or just cancel the card altogether. With UFC 186, they were attempting to do the impossible again, booking both the TJ Dillashaw–Renan Barao bantamweight title fight rematch and a flyweight bout between champion Demetrious Johnson and Kyro…Kyjo…some other guy.

What I’m saying is, we probably shouldn’t be that surprised to learn that one of those 2 title fights (the one we were interested in, more specifically) will no longer be happening.

Details after the jump. 


(WHAT ARE YOU SMILING AT, TJ? CAN’T YOU SEE THAT *WE’RE* THE ONES IN REAL PAIN?!! via Getty.)

Perhaps the most shocking thing about UFC 185 was not the pair of title fight upsets that occurred that night, but that all of the fighters competing in said title fights even managed to make it to fight night at all. There aren’t many injury-free fighters like Jeremy Horn these days, to the point that the UFC is forced to abandon plans for a card containing just one title fight more often than not, or just cancel the card altogether. With UFC 186, they were attempting to do the impossible again, booking both the TJ Dillashaw–Renan Barao bantamweight title fight rematch and a flyweight bout between champion Demetrious Johnson and Kyro…Kyjo…some other guy.

What I’m saying is, we probably shouldn’t be that surprised to learn that one of those 2 title fights (the one we were interested in, more specifically) will no longer be happening.

Details after the jump. 

Winning a UFC title nowadays is akin to moving into the Amityville house, or feeding your Mogwai after midnight and not expecting some serious shenanigans to transpire. As such, newly-crowned bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw — who has pulled out of exactly zero fights in his UFC career due to injury — has been forced out of UFC 186 with a fractured rib. (via the UFC’s official report):

UFC President Dana White said Tuesday that TJ Dillashaw has sustained a rib fracture that will force a postponement of his much-anticipated UFC 186 bantamweight rematch against Renan Barao in Montreal on April 25.

White revealed the news during an interview with Los Angeles radio personality Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander on KRRL-FM 92.3.

Dillashaw’s injury occurred during training on Monday, White said. There is no immediate timetable for his return.

Fantastic.

This of course bumps the flyweight title match between Johnson and the other guy into the main event slot, which has been taken with the kind of grace you’d expect from MMA fans with Twitter accounts:

Great stuff, you guys. I guess the UFC can sleep easy knowing that most of these people weren’t planning on actually paying for UFC 186 in the first place. Go team!

UFC 185 Results: Don’t Rush Henry Cejudo, and He May Be the New Flyweight Champ

Although Henry Cejudo was quick to tell Joe Rogan after his win over Chris Cariaso at UFC 185 that he’ll fight champion Demetrious Johnson next time out if that’s what the UFC wants, it would be wise for everyone to hold their proverbial ho…

Although Henry Cejudo was quick to tell Joe Rogan after his win over Chris Cariaso at UFC 185 that he’ll fight champion Demetrious Johnson next time out if that’s what the UFC wants, it would be wise for everyone to hold their proverbial horses.

In a world where 125-pound talent is as thin as the combover of a middle-aged insurance adjuster, that’s hard to do. Johnson has run amok on the weight class since it was launched by the UFC, and no one has ever really pushed him during his title run. That’s led to guys getting rushed into fights they aren’t ready for.

Cariaso was one of those guys, actually. He was stopped in a couple of rounds.

Kyoji Horiguchi is one of those guys. He’ll be stopped in a couple of rounds when he gets his chance next month.

Joseph Benavidez had to take a rematch before he was ready and lost any chance of becoming a champion as a result. John Moraga was rushed into a shot immediately before him and had success only insomuch as he managed to get to the fifth round before being submitted.

Johnson’s gotta eat, though, that’s the problem. Both inside and out of the cage, he’s gotta eat, and the UFC has to find warm bodies for him to run circles around so that can happen.

However, if the cycle of unprepared guys isn’t broken eventually, the promotion might as well just name Johnson champion for life. He’s already better than the bulk of opponents he’ll face—facing them when they aren’t the best versions they could possibly be is just academic.

Which is where Cejudo fits in.

There’s a lot to like about him: Olympic gold medalist, great stand-up, marketability. The most important thing, though? He’s an unfinished product.

After his win over Cariaso, he’s 8-0. He’s also still learning the ropes in terms of consistently getting himself down to the flyweight limit, a trouble that looked to be derailing his UFC career as recently as August.

To borrow a phrase that’s become prominent in MMA culture in 2015, where Cejudo as a title challenger is concerned, the time is (not) now.

The time is now for Johnson to rematch Dodson or to give Zach Makovsky a shot if he’s successful next time out. The time is now for Jussier Formiga to get thrown in there. The time is now for literally anything to happen that prevents Cejudo from being the next title challenger in that weight class.

Because when his time comes—and make no mistake, it will come in that division—the finished product that Cejudo will be is championship material.

So let him beat up a few more guys in the division, build his striking and takedowns into a more fluid form of violence and get his hands on a few more flittering flyweights who move around at a high pace so he can prepare for a man like Johnson.

The bottom line is that the flyweight division needs a foil for its champion. Johnson hasn’t captured the attention of the fans with his dominance or his personality, and he’s too good to have been pulled into a war that got people’s attention. Based on the tools he has already, a Cejudo properly groomed could be that foil.

So don’t hurry him, UFC. Let him develop the way you once let you prospects develop, without concern for filling cards or policing rankings. Just let him get as good as he can be and then give him a shot that he’ll inevitably earn as that process unfolds.

Do that, and you may just have yourself a new flyweight champion.

 

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com