With Cody Garbrandt’s back troubles causing the previously announced Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw bout to be pulled from UFC 213, the UFC is looking at going another direction entirely. That looks to be the much discussed route of Dillashaw dropping down to flyweight to challenge champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, the fight may happen in August, possibly at UFC 215, as per UFC President Dana White.
Okamoto let word slip on this evening’s edition of SportsCenter.
Were the bout to go down, it would require a change of heart from Johnson, who previously nixed the idea of fighting Dillashaw. While former bantamweight champ Dillashaw is very game, Mighty Mouse told MMAFighting that “This wouldn’t be a super-fight because TJ is not a champion. He’s just a 135er coming down to 125 to skip the line that other flyweight competitors have worked hard to climb.”
Johnson, however, has eliminated most of the title contenders in the 125lb weight class, some more than once. His next fight could put him in sole possession of the UFC title defense record. Dillashaw would seem to represent the biggest name available for the occasion.
If White can get the deal done, this would certainly feel like a marquee fight.
Johnson (26–2–1) is coming off his tenth consecutive title defense over Wilson Reis at UFC on Fox 24. Dillashaw (14–3), meanwhile, has earned back to back wins over Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker since losing his 135lb title to Dominick Cruz last year.
