These “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; this will analyze what could happen in the fight, and end with this writer’s prediction. The UFC will be …
These “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; this will analyze what could happen in the fight, and end with this writer’s prediction.
The UFC will be putting on its sixth FOX event and will be bringing the first Flyweight title defense to headline the card. Demetrious Johnson will be taking on up and comer John Dodson in hopes of truly establishing himself as the rightful king of the hill. UFC on FOX returns to Chicago, Ill. on Jan 26, and will be live on FOX at 8:00 p.m. EST, with prelims prior on FX.
In the blue corner you have John Dodson. The TUF winner will look to take his fast career to the next level and attain UFC gold this Saturday. Dodson has shown some great power in his hands, and will be looking to definitively put away the champ. Dodson is riding a five-fight winning streak, and has great momentum going into this bout; paired with the confidence of never being finished in the cage so far in his career.
In the red corner you have Demetrious Johnson. “Mighty Mouse” has had an incredible career so far, and similar to Dodson, has only lost via decision inside the cage. Johnson has a speed and relentless pace that he sets that creates a very unique challenge for anyone who steps in front of him, and he will look to use that quickness to get the better of Dodson. Johnson is a very well-rounded fighter, and can dictate the fight wherever it goes.
The key aspects in this fight are the speed of Johnson, and the power of Dodson. Johnson has found incredible success with his agility and his stamina, and what has ultimately given him a lot of his decision wins. However, his ground game is where he has the advantage in this fight. Dodson has the striking advantage here; or at least in the power department. It will come down to if Dodson can catch Johnson flush, or if he gets frustrated and attempts to take the fight to the ground. Johnson may have a submission answer for him, but Ian McCall showed a hole in that part of Johnson’s game, and it may be something Dodson may try to exploit.
Prediction: Demetrious Johnson wins via Unanimous Decision.
(“Thanks Jay. Joining me now backstage is none other than…uh…wait a minute. You’re Anderson Silva’s son, right?”)
If you’ve been watching the NFL playoffs on FOX over the last couple weekends, you’ve surely noticed the frequent UFC promos throughout the broadcasts hyping a “World Title Fight” on January 26th between “Johnson and Dodson.” At no point is the word “flyweight” ever mentioned — because that would be a turnoff to casual fans, I guess? — and in most of the live promos I’ve seen, Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson‘s first names aren’t even included. Basically, they’re hoping that the mere promise of a “title fight” will be enough to lure some football fans into tuning in this Saturday night, even if those viewers have no idea who the headliners are, or what belt they’ll be fighting for specifically.
It’s a problem, because TV ratings and buyrates are so closely tied to who’s headlining each event. Instead of perhaps making Rampage vs. Teixeira or Cerrone vs. Pettis the headliner, the UFC is choosing to keep things vague (“world title fight!” “Johnson!”) and hope for the best. We’ll see if that proves to be the right decision, or if the ratings will plunge compared to the strong showing of UFC on FOX 5. I know the UFC wants to pump up its budding flyweight division, but I can’t help wondering if they’re doing themselves a disservice when there’s so little heat around that weight class. Could they re-consider their “championship fight always gets the main event” policy down the road?
Since I’ve been thinking about this lately, I’ve decided to present my own rundown of which fights I’m actually looking forward to this weekend. If you see things differently, please hurl some abuse at me in the comments section. Let’s begin…
(“Thanks Jay. Joining me now backstage is none other than…uh…wait a minute. You’re Anderson Silva’s son, right?”)
If you’ve been watching the NFL playoffs on FOX over the last couple weekends, you’ve surely noticed the frequent UFC promos throughout the broadcasts hyping a “World Title Fight” on January 26th between “Johnson and Dodson.” At no point is the word “flyweight” ever mentioned — because that would be a turnoff to casual fans, I guess? — and in most of the live promos I’ve seen, Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson‘s first names aren’t even included. Basically, they’re hoping that the mere promise of a “title fight” will be enough to lure some football fans into tuning in this Saturday night, even if those viewers have no idea who the headliners are, or what belt they’ll be fighting for specifically.
It’s a problem, because TV ratings and buyrates are so closely tied to who’s headlining each event. Instead of perhaps making Rampage vs. Teixeira or Cerrone vs. Pettis the headliner, the UFC is choosing to keep things vague (“world title fight!” “Johnson!”) and hope for the best. We’ll see if that proves to be the right decision, or if the ratings will plunge compared to the strong showing of UFC on FOX 5. I know the UFC wants to pump up its budding flyweight division, but I can’t help wondering if they’re doing themselves a disservice when there’s so little heat around that weight class. Could they re-consider their “championship fight always gets the main event” policy down the road?
Since I’ve been thinking about this lately, I’ve decided to present my own rundown of which fights I’m actually looking forward to this weekend. If you see things differently, please hurl some abuse at me in the comments section. Let’s begin…
#1: Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis (LW, main card): It’s the rare combination of “guaranteed banger” and “legitimately important.” Two elite-level lightweights who are known for consistently thrilling fights face off to determine who’s possibly next in line on the contender ladder after Gilbert Melendez. As far as I’m concerned, this is Saturday’s real main event.
#2: Quinton Jackson vs. Glover Teixeira (LHW, main card): I’m not as drunk on the Glover kool-aid as some of you — at least not yet — but man, oh man, do I want Rampage to get creamed. I’m tired of the constant bullshit, and I just want this story to end — particularly with a savage KO that defies any post-fight excuse-making.
#3: Erik Koch vs. Ricardo Lamas (FW, main card): I’m a big fan of Erik Koch, and it’s great to see him back after a 16-month layoff, trying to regain his place in the featherweight title picture. It’s also been interesting to see how Lamas has progressed from WEC mid-packer to undefeated UFC contender over the last couple years. My expectations are high for this one.
#4: Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson (FlyW, main event): As we learned in our first Databomb, finishing rates are strongly correlated to weight class — which should help explain why Demetrious Johnson hasn’t finished an opponent since 2010. And even though Dodson’s last flyweight match ended in a TKO against Jussier Formiga, everything that led up to that TKO was kind of awful. My relative lack of enthusiasm for this fight comes from the feeling that I already know how it will end: With Johnson earning a unanimous decision after five rounds that are so frantically-paced that the action becomes an undistinguishable mess of motion. And that’s what the UFC’s flyweight division has lacked for me, so far — the element of surprise.
#5: Ryan Bader vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (LHW, FX prelims): Two wrestlers who are coming off losses, and will likely be throwing bombs at each other’s heads. The result might not have a big impact on the light-heavyweight division, but it’ll have a serious impact on the fighters’ careers.
#6: Clay Guida vs. Hatsu Hioki (FW, FX prelims): I don’t expect a repeat of Guida’s much-reviled performance against Gray Maynard, but then again, Hioki hasn’t exactly been lightning in a bottle during his time in the UFC. The idea of Guida at 145 pounds is compelling, and he’s usually fun to watch, but I’m not expecting a Fight of the Night here by any means.
#8: Matt Wiman vs. TJ Grant (LW, FX prelims): Grant is on a three-fight win-streak at lightweight, and Wiman pulled off a very unexpected and impressive submission of Paul Sass in his last fight. Sure, I’ll watch this.
#9 (tie): Mike Stumpf vs. Pascal Krauss, Rafael Natal vs. Sean Spencer (WW+MW, FX prelims): I don’t think I’d be able to pick any of these guys out of a lineup. I know that Krauss is German, and that Sean Spencer is a first-timer — and that’s about the extent of my commitment to these fights.
#11: Simeon Thoresen vs. David Mitchell (WW, Facebook prelim): I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched a Facebook prelim. It’s been a while. That’s not going to change this weekend.
UFC on FOX 6 is headlined by Demetrious Johnson defending his UFC Flyweight Championship against top contender John Dodson.This will be Johnson’s first defense of the newly-minted title. He captured the championship by way of split decision over Joseph…
UFC on FOX 6 is headlined by Demetrious Johnson defending his UFC Flyweight Championship against top contender John Dodson.
This will be Johnson’s first defense of the newly-minted title. He captured the championship by way of split decision over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152.
Dodson earned his title shot by TKO’ingJussierFormiga in October. The victory moved his UFC record to 3-0 overall with two wins being in the flyweight division.
The main event will surely deliver on action with two of the sports’ most exciting and fast-paced fighters. Johnson and Dodson will try to make a statement that the flyweight division is just as entertaining as any other under the UFC banner.
Spotlight? What spotlight? If Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is feeling the glare, he sure isn’t letting it show. Johnson (16-2-1, 2-1-1 UFC), the UFC’s first and reigning flyweight champion, appears to be staying quite cool ahead of his f…
Spotlight? What spotlight? If Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is feeling the glare, he sure isn’t letting it show.
Johnson (16-2-1, 2-1-1 UFC), the UFC’s first and reigning flyweight champion, appears to be staying quite cool ahead of his first career title defense. Johnson and challenger John Dodson will fight for the strap Jan. 26 in the main event at UFC on Fox 6.
“No, not at all,” Johnson said when asked about pressure during a UFC on Fox media conference call held Tuesday and covered by Bleacher Report MMA. “I think every fight’s the same.”
Johnson’s calm is noteworthy amid the runup to what is unquestionably a high-profile and high-stakes event. In addition to being Johnson’s first defense, it is the first time flyweights will headline a major UFC card.
Historically, MMA’s lightest weight classes have struggled to earn appreciation and attention from fans, who gravitate toward the heavy artillery at the top of the divisional food chain. What’s more, UFC on Fox 6 has a tough act to follow, as it comes on the heels of a Fox event that delivered the goods both in action and ratings.
Does Johnson worry about expectations, or that his weight class sometimes gets lost in the shuffle?
“I think the UFC has done a great job promoting the lighter weight divisions and giving us this stage on Fox,” Johnson said during the media conference call. “It doesn’t matter. I’m getting in there to fight.”
Fighting and training seem to be the only things on Johnson’s mind these days. Trappings and reflection can wait for another day and time.
“I’m just focused on staying healthy and getting better,” Johnson said. “Five, six years down the road, I still plan on being dominant. I hope everyone looks at me as one of the best fighters.”
Scott Harris is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the quality of the action provided by the fights in the lighter weight classes. A look at MMA’s archives will show a number of fights in the featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight divisions that all did their p…
Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the quality of the action provided by the fights in the lighter weight classes. A look at MMA‘s archives will show a number of fights in the featherweight, bantamweight and flyweight divisions that all did their part in highlighting exactly how they hold their own with those of the more established divisions.
Remember how long it took before fans accepted the lightweight division? And remember that they faced similar questions to those encountered by the lighter weight classes? Now, lightweight stands as one of the most talent-rich divisions in the sport, let alone the UFC, and the talent in that one division always produces a number of fights that stand on paper as Fight of the Night candidates for almost every fight card that occurs.
Featherweights, bantamweights and flyweights can produce thrillers of the same cloth, and with time, flyweights for sure will get the recognition that they deserve. However, despite the lack of depth in the division in all three divisions, fans of the sport will do themselves a great justice by embracing these lighter weight classes for more than just the “remember when lightweights first got on?” argument.
Let the reality sink in about these three divisions if any doubt still exists, especially since many will eventually come to about this matter. Despite the fluctuation of poundage that separates the divisions from each other, the action quality holds the same high level at heavyweight as it holds in the other divisions.
The primary five divisions all needed to establish longevity before fans caught on to what most fight fans already knew, which is that great fights always happen regardless of the weight. Fans catch on to this after witnessing a fight or two in a division, thus causing them to pay attention to the divisions more prominently than they may have done in a previous point in time.
Obviously, it may not help fans to get behind the division if the fights consistently get booked on Fuel TV, FX or okay pay-per-view cards, but considering that a number of cable subscribers enjoy FX on a daily basis, one can make the statement that those subscribers definitely have the necessary means to get themselves interested.
Also, the UFC will aim to garner further interest in their lightest division when flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson makes the first defense of his title against John Dodson at UFC on Fox 6 in Chicago, while Jose Aldo looks to keep a grip on his featherweight title at UFC 156 against Frankie Edgar. The quality of both fights promise exciting firefights and memorable finishes, but will fans embrace these fights before or after they transpire?
They absolutely know how to draw in the casual viewer while changing the mind of the skeptical hardcore fan, so few will find a reason to believe that they cannot embrace these fights.
However, until fans begin to recognize the reasons for why they should embrace these fights, the divisions will take longer to earn their long-overdue respect than they did to make it into the sport’s premier league.
Demetrious Johnson will defend his UFC Flyweight Championship for the first time live and free on FOX. He will tussle with John Dodson on January 26th at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.Dodson is 3-0 in the UFC with his last two victories coming…
Dodson is 3-0 in the UFC with his last two victories coming at featherweight. He is The Ultimate Fighter season 14 bantamweight champion. He will become the eighth TUF winner to challenge for a UFC championship.
Johnson won the UFC championship via a split decision victory over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152 to become the first ever champion of the division.
Mighty Mouse and The Magician will lock horns in January, and this is how they stack up to one another.
Spotlight? What spotlight? If Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is feeling the glare, he sure isn’t letting it show. 