The UFC should book Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez for the flyweight title.

By Wolfgang
www.ninjasplace.com

The WEC(and also the UFC) has always done a particularly good job of allowing big fights to make themselves. After last night, a bout between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson makes too much sense divisionwise and stylewise not to make right now. They both fought on short notice, using wrestling based MMA jujitsu to dominate much larger and highly skilled submission fighters in the top ten of the division. They almost fought the same exact fight. Dominance of BJJ blackbelts with American BJJ, and explosive striking should have both of these guys thinking BW title...

But all either guy can talk about is how light they are and how this weight class isn't right for them.

Why waste these fighter's potential by having them lose to fighters that dwarf them? Both of these guys have poster boy potential. Stylewise, this fight is explosive. They're the fastest fighters in the UFC. They both have dominated fighters much larger than themselves. You should fully expect these guys to suplex and slam the shit out of eachother for five full rounds. The fight has the makings of an instant classic.

The division could be filled in underneath them. There is a good slate of free agents and up and coming American prospects. I don't think they'd need to sign 20 fighters in order to crown a champion in the weight class.


* Alexis Vila (8-0), Coconut Creek, Florida
* Mamoru Yamaguchi (25-5-3), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
* John Dodson (9-5), Albuquerque, New Mexico
* Louis Gaudinot(5-1), New Jersey- current Ring of Combat 125 lb. champion.
* Abel Cullum (10-4), Tucumcari, New Mexico- former KOTC 125 lb. champion.
* Josh Rave (19-7), Omaha,Nebraska
* Nick Cottone (9-2-1), Pine Hill, New Jersey

If you recall, while still building up the BW division, Zuffa flew in fighters like Takeya Mizugaki and Yoshiro Maeda and had great success in doing so, creating memorable title battles. There is no reason to assume they couldn't do the same thing with flyweight until they got enough guys to fill in the division. The BW division right now has under 20 fighters. You don't need to bring in a lot of guys. There has been talk that Lorenzo Fertitta is pushing hard for flyweight, and has his eyes on fighters like Rambaa m16 Somdet. With Joe's teammate Urijah Faber looming large in the division, it doesn't make sense to keep Benavidez around contender-killing. I say strike while the iron is hot. Create the title, worry about the rest of the division later.

Update - UFC president Dana White reiterated that flyweights will be in the UFC sooner than later ;

Quote :

"Eventually we will do 125lbs. I believe we will open it up a lot sooner than people think we will. There are going to be more title fights in more places."

Be dec, but let them actually fill out that division first, these guys would probably be the ones to go at it for the new Title though.

At the same time Bena isn't exactly doing poorly at BW.

Layoff effected Page

Not until 2012 at the earliest. The BW division needs the depth right now.

Totally agree Wolf. I think people will be shocked at how ridiculous some of these 125 lbs'ers are.

Johnson and Joe both want a 125lb division. I think it would be sick.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/21369/with-two-straight-wec-wins-demetrious-johnson-still-hoping-for-flyweight-division.mma
"I think flyweight is a necessity for me," Johnson said. "I walk around maybe 141 pounds.

"I'll keep fighting at 135 if the WEC wants me to, but when 125 comes out, I'll go there."

updated the article

"Eventually we will do 125lbs. I believe we will open it up a lot sooner than people think we will. There are going to be more title fights in more places."

Dana needs to read my article.