Tag: TJ Dillashaw vs. Demetrious Johnson

Duane Ludwig: Demetrious Johnson vs. TJ Dillashaw Needs To Happen

Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw’s head coach Duane “Bang” Ludwig is more than confident in his star pupil’s ability to make 125 pounds. Now that Dillashaw is once again champion, the push for a super fight with flyweight kingpin Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson seems to be inevitable. Both Dana White and Dillashaw have actively campaigned for […]

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Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw’s head coach Duane “Bang” Ludwig is more than confident in his star pupil’s ability to make 125 pounds.

Now that Dillashaw is once again champion, the push for a super fight with flyweight kingpin Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson seems to be inevitable. Both Dana White and Dillashaw have actively campaigned for the bout.

Now, the question is can Dillashaw make flyweight? Ludwig says he absolutely can:

“We were en route to fight Demetrious at one point and the direction he was taking with his strength and conditioning coach, T.J. was looking phenomenal on the mitts and the sparring and the training and he looked good, his spirits were good,” Ludwig said. “So obviously we didn’t make 125 and fight and compete, but when were were en route of that, nothing really changed. T.J.’s not a big ‘35er, so he can make ‘25. It’s not going to be easy, but he’s the most dedicated person that I’ve ever seen. He really is.”

Dillashaw took back the bantamweight belt after knocking out undefeated champ Cody Garbrandt at UFC 217. He had prior campaigned for the “Mighty Mouse” fight when Ray Borg had pulled out of his first scheduled fight with the flyweight champ at UFC 215. Johnson opted to wait to fight Borg at UFC 216 rather than take on Dillashaw.

With “Mighty Mouse” lacking a bit in terms of PPV sales, a super fight with the bantamweight champion could prove to be a hit for sales and PPV buys. Demetrious Johnson has also cleared out his division two times over, and is in desperate need of fresh title challengers, according to Ludwig:

“I think it needs to happen,” Ludwig said. “Demetrious, he’s fighting the top guys – this works out because (Joseph) Benavidez is out right now, he’s still having to wait a couple of months with his knee surgery, so it works out time-wise, so in my eyes I would like to see T.J. drop down, fight Demetrious, and then go back to ‘35.”

Are you behind a Dillashaw vs “Mighty Mouse” super fight? Can TJ make flyweight?

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Dana White: Let’s See What “Mighty Mouse” Does On PPV Against Dillashaw

After a thrilling knockout victory over bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in last night’s UFC 217 co-main event, newly-minted champ TJ Dillashaw took the mic to call out flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. The two were nearly scheduled to fight at one point, and not long ago too. Dillashaw offered to fill in for Ray Borg at […]

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After a thrilling knockout victory over bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in last night’s UFC 217 co-main event, newly-minted champ TJ Dillashaw took the mic to call out flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson.

The two were nearly scheduled to fight at one point, and not long ago too. Dillashaw offered to fill in for Ray Borg at UFC 215 when Borg pulled out due to illness. “Mighty Mouse” declined to fight, much to UFC President Dana White’s chagrin.

With Johnson becoming more vocal about the lack of support or respect he’s getting from the UFC, White used Dillashaw’s emphatic victory at UFC 217 as an opportunity to offer “Mighty Mouse” the fight once again:

“He’s been crying for a long time for a big fight. He’s got his big fight now. You know I’m down for it because I was down for it before, but now it’s even better. They both have belts, so, yeah.”

“He’s a partner in the pay-per-view,” White said. “Let’s see what your PPV does, you’re a partner, let’s see what you make. Listen, you can’t be in a position where you’re like “I want $2 million, f*ck you, I don’t care what you make. I don’t care how much this thing sells, I just want $2 million.”

As for another one of DJ’s concerns about Dillashaw fighting him at flyweight, the newly crowned bantamweight champion says cutting down to 125 pounds won’t be a problem given his current regimen:

“The reason why I look so lean at 135 pounds is the way I work. I put muscle on, I’m not a big 135er. A walk around at 150, you know? But I stack on, I stay lean, I keep my diet, I’ve kept on my diet since The Ultimate Fighter.”

Do you want to see Dillashaw take on “Mighty Mouse”?

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TJ Dillashaw Calls Demetrious Johnson Fight ‘Consolation Prize’

Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is expected to challenge current titleholder and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the coming months, but the duo was originally set to meet at UFC 213 last month in Las Vegas. A back injury suffered by Garbrandt, however, forced the fight to be put on hold. Once it was […]

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Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is expected to challenge current titleholder and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the coming months, but the duo was originally set to meet at UFC 213 last month in Las Vegas. A back injury suffered by Garbrandt, however, forced the fight to be put on hold.

Once it was clear that “No Love” was unable to compete, Dillashaw began campaigning for a flyweight title fight with dominant champion Demetrious Johnson, but “Mighty Mouse” never appeared to be interested in the fight.

According to Dillashaw, who recently spoke with MMAJunkie, Johnson is ‘too worried’ about breaking the record for the most consecutive title defenses, which he’ll attempt to do at UFC 215 next month against Ray Borg:

“This is the fight I ultimately wanted,” Dillashaw said, referring to his fight with Garbrandt. “That was kind of like going for a consolation prize. If I couldn’t get my belt at (135), I want a belt. And I felt like it was a big, hyped-up fight I could’ve pushed with Demetrious. Unfortunately, he did not want that. Unfortunately, he’s too cerebral of a fighter.”

“He knows that’s not a good fight for him and wouldn’t accept it,” Dillashaw continued. “He’s real worried about this record he needs to break. Go ahead and let him do that, I guess.”

In the end, Dillashaw will get the fight he truly wanted, as him and Garbrandt are expected to face-off at UFC 217 on Nov. 4, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Dillashaw, however, admits that ‘he’s ready tomorrow’:

“Fingers crossed nothing happens. I’m ready tomorrow, man,” Dillashaw said. “I’ve been staying in the gym. That’s what I love to do. I feel lazy when I’m not in the gym. So, yeah, I’m ready to go at 217. And just the fact to be able to fight in Madison Square Garden seems like a huge event.”

Are you excited to see Dillashaw finally meet Garbrandt, or would you have preferred to see him paired against “Mighty Mouse”?

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