UFC News: Champion vs. Champion Clash Featuring Demterious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw 'Is Not Happening,' According to Dana White
White has now moved on to trying to secure a different title match for Dillashaw
Superfights are staples of the UFC, and not too long ago, there were rumblings that another variant of that bout would feature two lighter weight champions squaring off.
To be more specific, it seemed like UFC Flyweight champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson would soon find himself across the Octagon staring at UFC Bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw.
The idea of the two fighting immediately got many MMA fans excited, and it's easy to understand why.
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Johnson and Dillashaw are two of the more dynamic fighters in the UFC. The two are extremely well-rounded fighters who can finish the fight anywhere, and it would have been a treat for many fans to see how they would attack each other.
Would Dillashaw still be able to use his deft movement to stick and move against Johnson? Would Johnson simply prove too good at all aspects of fighting for Dillashaw to gain any kind of advantage?
Plus, Johnson and Dillashaw are two of the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artists in the world, with ESPN ranking them first and third, respectively, and that only works to make a match between them more intriguing.
To put it simply, there are all kinds of reasons for MMA fans to be excited about that particular fight.
Unfortunately, it looks like fans will have to wait quite a while to see that fight, and there's a chance they may not see it at all.
In a text message sent to the Los Angeles Times, UFC president Dana White put an end to the superfight speculation and simply stated that the Johnson-Dillashaw clash "is not happening."
White clarified that the fight "was never made."
He added that Johnson is also going to be "out for a while" because of an injury.
What's unclear at this point is if the Johnson-Dillashaw superfight has just been shelved for now or if the matchmakers have decided that they are no longer interested in the idea.
Notably, White said that they are already trying to find another challenger for Dillashaw, so, at least for this year, that superfight between the two champs seems unlikely to happen.
So now that Johnson-Dillashaw is not going to take place at least for the foreseeable future, what matches featuring the two fighters can fans still look forward to?
Well, Dillashaw will not be lacking challengers, as bouts with former champions Cody Garbrandt and Dominick Cruz make sense. Even Raphael Assuncao could make a case for a title match at this point.
As for Johnson, it will be tougher to find a compelling challenger for him.
Part of the reason why the idea of the Johnson-Dillashaw superfight was so appealing is that the former has looked invincible thus far and maybe the Bantamweight champ could finally push him.
With that fight off the table, Johnson may have to settle for rematches with former contenders such as Henry Cejudo and possibly Joseph Benavidez if he gets by Sergio Pettis. Pettis could be an intriguing longshot contender, but he'll have to do something really special to jump the line and get a shot at Johnson.
More news about Johnson and Dillashaw's next fights should be made available soon.
