Last Saturday night saw UFC Flyweight champion Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson continue his clean out of the division with a dominating unanimous decision win over John ‘The Magician’ Dodson, the seventh title defence of his career.
The UFC 191 main card also saw Frank Mir losing a unanimous decision to Andrei Arlovski in a very underwhelming co-main event, former Light Heavyweight contender Anthony Johnson knocked out Jimi Manuwa in the second round, Corey Anderson beastin through Jan Blachowicz to a decision win, Paige VanZant submitted Alex Chambers via armbar in the third round. So whats next for the winners from UFC 191.
1.Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson.
Coming off his seventh title defence. There is very little if anything left for Mighty Mouse at 125lbs as contenders have been very far and few between. There are only a few plausible options left that fans will have any interest in. At flyweight the most realistic option is going to have to be the winner between Henry Cejudo and Jussier Formiga in November. Both men are ranked in the flyweight top five and neither have fought Mighty Mouse. For the UFC, Cejudo would make more sense and would make what is already a hard sale for them in Demetrious Johnson a little easier as they would be able to sell Cejudo as both undefeated and as a Olympic Gold medal winner. Failing that, assuming that Dominick Cruz and Raphael Assuncao don’t return from injury in time, perhaps a super fight at Bantamweight against TJ Dillashaw would make sense for Demetrious Johnson
2. Andrei ‘Pit Bull’ Arlovski.
Pit Bull Arlovski was coming off one of the craziest fights in MMA that I have ever seen against Travis Browne at UFC 187 in May. Arlovski has been on an a very impressive streak, worthy of a title shot since his return to the UFC in 2014. Saturday nights fight against Frank Mir was a fight that was heavily promoted as being ten years in the making and unfortunately it didn’t deliver the much overdue fireworks that people had expected (myself included) it would, especially after Frank Mir’s huge knockout against Todd Duffee in July. With UFC President Dana White announcing that the Werdum vs Velasquez rematch for the title not taking place until next March, it casts Arlovski’s next step into doubt. He is deserving of a title shot as things stands but it means that it would be nearly a year before he would get it. Realistically his next move is the winner of the Ben Rothwell / Stipe Miocic fight in Dublin for the undisputed number one contender spot. Or as Ariel Helwani and Marc Raimondi alluded to on their post fight show for MMAFighting.com, perhaps a match up against the greatest fighter to never fight in the UFC, Fedor Emelianenko would make sense for Arlovski.
3. Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson.
Rumble got back to winning ways following his defeat to Daniel Cormier for the Light Heavyweight belt back in May at UFC 187. The former UFC Welterweight showed exactly why it is that he is the most feared knockout artist in the Light Heavyweight Division with a brutal knockout of Jimi Manuwa in the second round. Having just lost to current Champion Daniel Cormier, this fight was essentially to establish if Rumble was still there at the top, this fight proved that and then some so perhaps the winner of the main event of UFC 192 between Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustaffson makes sense for him, if not a fight against the winner of the Ryan Bader / Rashad Evans would make sense, especially if the former Champion Jon Jones makes a quick return to the sport and slides straight in against the winner of Cormier / Gustaffson.
4. Corey ‘Beastin 25/8’ Anderson.
Corey Anderson defied the bookies odds to steamroll through former KWC Champion, Jan Blachowicz in a lob sided three round light heavyweight bout. Anderson came off a loss to Gian Villante in April and needed to make a big statement so that his first loss of his career wouldn’t turn into a losing streak. Anderson will now look to continue his momentum generated from winning on his first PPV main event and make a push into his divisions top ten. Someone like Ilir Latifi would make sense for Anderson. Sitting just inside the rankings at number fifteen, he would be the perfect gauge for Anderson at this point in his career, especially considering how new he is to the sport and also how he is also still young at twenty five.
5. Paige ’12 Gauge’ VanZant.
The question causing headaches for the UFC matchmakers, what to do with Paige VanZant? Her third round submission victory over Alex Chambers has some people calling for a title shot for the twenty one year old, and to be fair, she has a better case for one than current challenger Valerie Letourneau has. But at only twenty one and untested against the top five of the division, perhaps it is wise to slow down her rise up the ladder. A lot of people want to see her face Canadian Randa Markos. Markos is coming off a victory against Irish woman Aisling Daly at UFC 186 in Montreal back in April. Currently ranked number seven, a spot below VanZant, this fight would make the most sense for Paige. Despite her incredible talent and potential, throwing her in against the champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk right now would be a poor move for the UFC. They have a superstar in VanZant who is herself not even looking for a title shot at this stage. A year or two to work on her striking defence would be very wise for 12 Gauge, especially with the likes of Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadhela sitting at the top of the division.
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