A rematch of Flyweight proportions, Demetrious Johnson will look to put an exclamation mark on his reign as 125lb champion at UFC 191, when he rematches John Dodson, a bout which will put an end to the self-proclaimed controversy in their first fight.
Johnson and Dodson II headlines UFC 191 pay-per-view, which takes places at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, September 5. A stacked fight card which also features more than a handful of heavy hitters, including Andrei Arlovski vs. Frank Mir in a Heavyweight eliminator as well as a huge Light-Heavyweight clash, Anthony Johnson vs. Jimi Manuwa.
Casting back to UFC on Fox 6: Johnson vs. Dodson in January 2013, the fight remains historic and memorable for a plethora of reasons. After he defeated Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152 six months prior to capture the Flyweight title, ‘Mighty Mouse’s’ match-up against Dodson would serve as his first UFC title defence. As for Dodson, despite his victory in the Bantamweight TUF 14 Finale against T.J. Dillashaw, he opted to drop back down to 125lbs and quickly found himself in title contention.
The fight itself would be a back and forth affair, after ‘The Magician’ dropped DJ twice in the opener, both fighter’s cardio was tested in the enduring battle, and DJ looked the stronger later on, when he used his grappling to control the later rounds. The judges would award Johnson the fight unanimously, unreflective of the tense and competitive showdown that had transpired in Chicago, Illinois.
The aftermath saw a dispirited Dodson question the decision, claiming he had done enough to win the first three rounds, and exclaiming himself as the rightful champion.
However, since that close collision, Johnson has gone on to become, arguably the most dominant champion in the UFC, almost clearing out the division with six straight title defences. The champion is all about breaking records, and his last fight showed that, when he finished Kyoji Horiguchi with just one second of the fight remaining, a risk he took regardless of being on his way to a coasted win.
On the other hand, Dodson has been impressive in his own right, with three straights wins, including two finishes over the now released Darrell Montague and former title challenger John Moraga.
Their success can partially be attributed to the strong figures that have behind them, another battle featuring two of the best coaches in mixed martial arts. Matt Hume, The Wizard behind Johnson, Hume has shown numerous times during DJ’s bouts his excellent ability as a coach to read the fight and guide Johnson to success. Seen largely as a humbly unrecognised coach, with his close quartered AMC gym, much the opposite can be seen for Greg Jackson who is universally renowned as the best in the industry today. Jackson’s MMA, one of the most popular training facilities on offer, the 40 year old coach has long stood beside Dodson and expect victory this time around.
Both fighters are almost the antithesis of one and other, with DJ focusing on technique and precision, in comparison to Dodson’s power and unpredictability. The first fight came down to the resilience of Johnson, who despite being knocked down numerous times, continued to push the pace, used his grappling to tire Dodson and conveyed his superior cardio.
This time around, the 30-year-old challenger from Albuquerque, New Mexico must maintain his pressure over five rounds and he must control the centre of the Octagon, with DJ landing much more volume in significant strikes when he has his opponent’s back to the cage.
For Dodson, UFC 191 is all about proving that his disappointment in the first fight was merited, and that his name indeed deserves to be adjoined to Johnson in terms of credibility. As for the title holder, a win for ‘Mighty Mouse’ may not just brand him the most dominant champion right now, but also, the UFC’s premier pound-for-pound fighter.
