Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson 2 Is Must See TV

By Raphael Garcia

UFC 191 is due to occur tomorrow night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. While fans may lament the fact that Demetrious Johnson is headlining another event, the fact remains that his title defense against John Dodson has the potential to be an exciting affair. The rivalry between these two may not have the luster of fights in other weight classes, but it certainly deserves attention as this weekend approaches.

Whether fans want to believe it or not, Johnson could be the best UFC champion among the current crop. The 29-year-old fighter is often hit with criticism for being “boring” but that is hardly the case. In fact, he embodies the true definition of a complete mixed martial artist and his current streak proves that point.

Johnson has dispatched nearly every man that has stood in front of him during his UFC tenure. In six title defenses he has finished four of those opponents. His technical striking, blistering speed and effective grappling are a combination that most strive to achieve. So why isn’t he more appreciated by mainstream and even hardcore MMA fans? That’s a very deep question but Dodson may be the answer.

Dodson possesses what Johnson lacks and the fans love: fight stopping power. In 11 years he has finished off eight men in violent fashion. Great fighters such as current Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw, Jussier da Silva and Darrell Montague have fallen due to Dodson’s power. At UFC on Fox 6 Johnson was almost added to that list as he was dropped twice early in the fight. It’s that same power that has Dodson feeling very confident about his chances coming into this bout.

“I get a chance to go out there and destroy somebody who I do not like,” Dodson said to Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun. “I dislike Demetrious Johnson because of the face that he has something that belongs to me.”

Their first fight two years ago was extremely close; so much so that many individuals believed Dodson was the winner. Judges Sal D’Amato, Gabriel Sabaitis and Otto Torriero saw things differently and awarded the unanimous decision win to Johnson. This weekend’s fight will be the next part of a chapter that can help establish Johnson as a name fans want to see.

Dodson is quite the talker. Not only has he continued to take shots at Johnson, but he’s even put Dillashaw in his sights once again. It’s that type of self-promotion that will help him play the perfect foil to the mostly “soft spoken” champion. The MMA community has seen this occur in the past. Chael Sonnen set the bar as Anderson Silva’s “rival.” Conor McGregor is following those footsteps while making his own as he prepares to face Jose Aldo at UFC 194. Dodson’s mouth brings attention to a division that is often finding itself without much of its own.

However, unlike both Sonnen and Dodson, he is bringing with him a true shot at snatching the belt off of Johnson. Sonnen came close when he nearly toppled Silva back at UFC 117, but the story of Silva’s rib injury took away some of that luster. Dodson had Johnson severely hurt twice before running out of steam to keep pace in rounds three through four. The expectations are that Dodson will come into this fight better prepared for a 25-minute affair.

Johnson’s improvement has been in his ability to remain safe while keeping fights right in his wheel house. Against Dodson and even Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall in 2012, Johnson was unable to remain safe throughout the entire fight – finding himself in precarious positions in key moments. Everyone knows Dodson has power; the question is whether or not Johnson can avoid it for 25 minutes in this second bout. If so, fans should expect the reign of “Mighty Mouse” to continue.

Demetrious Johnson versus John Dodson should excite fans that enjoy mixed martial arts. Both competitors bring the ability compete in any aspect of the sport. No matter which man leaves the MGM Grand Garden Arena with the title, this has the makings of an extreme exciting battle.