If you ask the average mixed martial fan who the top competitors in mixed martial arts are, a few names will enter the conversation. Jon Jones, Chris Weidman, and Jose Aldo are probably the first to come up; Ronda Rousey may even be mentioned. However, there is one fighter that deserves to be in that discussion, but doesn’t get the attention that he deserves: Demetrious Johnson. As he prepares to headline UFC 186, casual fans and MMA enthusiasts alike continue to overlook him.
Standing just 5’3 inches tall and weighing in at 125 pounds, Johnson’s nickname “Mighty Mouse” is quite apt. Yet the UFC Flyweight Champion is perhaps in the worst spot of any of the promotion’s champs. The mere mention of his name elicits eye rolls and apathy among mainstream UFC fans. That said, hardcore MMA fans that follow the sport very closely do recognize that Johnson deserves to be considered one of the top three competitors in the sport today. Look at the way he’s dominated since joining the sport.
When Johnson steps into the Octagon at UFC 186 against Kyoji Horiguchi he will defend the belt for the sixth time since winning the title at UFC 152 in 2012. He is one of the most active champions in the UFC right now. And in the cage he’s blowing the doors off of the competition in a way that should excite fans. He’s not facing outmatched opponents like Rousey is facing; Johnson is fighting capable mixed martial artists, worthy of challenging him for the title. But unfortunately for them, each time the champion steps into the cage, he is a better version of the complete mixed martial arts fighter.
So what is stopping Johnson from being recognized for his greatness? Why isn’t he exciting the fans? Some people blame him, while others blame the UFC.
“Of all the sports, this is the only sport scrutinized where it falls all on the athlete,” Johnson said during a media event leading up to UFC 186. “Why does it always come down to blaming the athlete for not selling the product?”
If the New York Knicks don’t sell out Madison Square Garden, no one blames Carmelo Anthony. If the New England Patriots participate in a Super Bowl with low TV ratings, the blame doesn’t fall on Tom Brady. Yet Johnson and other fighters continue to get the blame for UFC events that do not fare well.
UFC 174, the first event that Johnson headlined, brought in 115,000 pay-per-view buys, which is the lowest in the modern era of the UFC. The next event he headlined, UFC 178, only garnered 205,000 purchases. That card was to be headlined by the Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier grudge match that later headlined UFC 182. T.J. Dillashaw was expected to headline UFC 186 against Renan Barao before an injury forced that bout off of the card. The impact of this fight cancellation, as well as other changes to the card, have devastated expectations for the event.
So who has failed as the salesmen of both Johnson and UFC 186? The answer should be clear: the UFC. The UFC has the time, staff, money, and platform to promote its athletes in any way that it sees fit. Yes, there are those such as Conor McGregor and Chael Sonnen who chose to take on the responsibility for themselves, but their acts are clearly manufactured, and in the case of Sonnen, eventually became stale.
What else should Johnson do to be recognized? Get in trouble outside the cage? Berate the fans or an opponent? Talk in third person and make lofty claims? Sadly, some people would rather that be the avenue “Mighty Mouse” takes to become a star, rather than his stellar performances against the best fighters in the world .
Fortunately, the style matchup in this fight should create an exciting affair. Horiguchi is a very talented competitor who has shown blistering speed in the Octagon — the same type of speed that Johnson has used to baffle opponents in the past. The challenger also has thudding power, but he mixes in his grappling very well during transitions. However, the current attitude towards UFC 186 suggests that this is a weekend MMA fans will take off as the UFC continues with its jam packed schedule.
Johnson is doing all that he needs to do in order to go down as one of the greatest to compete in the sport. He shows up on weight and defends his title — wash, rinse and repeat. However, UFC 186 is not expected to sell well, and if that is the case, it will not be because Johnson didn’t do his job. It will be because the UFC did not do its job.
• Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (UFC Flyweight Championship)
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UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi (formerly UFC 186: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2) takes place on April 25, 2015 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 186 will be.
