Issue 096

December 2012

For the love of all things holy, can fans give the UFC’s flyweight division a break? First, it was Toronto booing the 125lb division’s first-ever title fight as Demetrious Johnson earned a unanimous-decision victory over Joseph Benavidez at September’s UFC 152 event.

Then the boo birds came out to chirp during the opening round of the division’s first-ever number one contender fight, when John Dodson endured the wrath of a Minneapolis crowd in the opening round of his UFC on FX 5 win over Jussier Formiga.

Where will it all stop? Could it be that the introduction of the 125lb division was simply an incredible mistake? Not according to UFC president Dana White. “I’m concerned people are drinking too much beer,” White joked with Fighters Only. “People are getting way too [expletive] drunk at these fights. That’s what I’m concerned with.”

White was likely only half-joking, but his point is substantiated. Sure, not every UFC fight is going to be a barnburner. The UFC on Fuel TV 5 bout between John Hathaway and John Maguire stands out as a recent example, as does the UFC on FX 5 contest between Marcus LeVesseur and Carlo Prater. But the flyweight bouts? This division has provided nothing but action and drama since its inception.

Think back to the controversy of March’s UFC on FX 2 event, when Johnson was declared the winner of a flyweight tourney bout with Ian McCall – only for the promotion to find out backstage it should have actually been ruled a draw, which would have resulted in a never-before-seen sudden-victory round. Instead, the pair would have to wait for a June rematch where ‘Mighty Mouse’ finally rid himself of ‘Uncle Creepy.’

And how about Joseph Benavidez’s ‘Knockout of the Night’ finish of Yasuhiro Urishitani. Registering a devastating knockout in just the second 125lb bout in UFC history should have quickly silenced any ‘these guys don’t have knockout power’ talk.

Dodson, of course, flashed similar striking prowess with his finish of Formiga. ‘The Magician’ scored a pair of knockdowns before ultimately finishing the Brazilian grappler with punches on the floor. 

“People should want to watch this weight class because these are the people that have the best talent, best technique and yet they’re going to be the fastest guys you’ve ever seen,” Dodson said. “You want to see guys brawl it out and throw 100 punches in less than a minute? You’ve got it with this. 

“People are always talking about, ‘Oh, those guys are just laying on top of each other. They’re cuddling. They’re only throwing one punch. They’re not moving as much. They don’t know how to dodge.’ Well we can do all that, plus more.”

The most shocking complaint sometimes heard in regards to the flyweights is that some fans find it difficult to admire the fighting skills of a diminutive opponent they feel confident they could handle in a back-alley confrontation. White has heard similar claims, and he scoffs at the concept.

“I’d love to see you kick Dodson’s ass,” White said. “Kid would be on you like a spider monkey.”

So what’s it going to take for the division to resonate with fans? Time, for one. Stars, for another. Look no further than boxing for an example of what can happen when the right skills and personalities intersect

Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that the world hadn’t even heard of names like José Aldo and Dominick Cruz, and while neither of those fighters boast the drawing power of an Anderson Silva or Georges St Pierre, both are far more recognized now than they were before competing in the UFC’s Octagon.

And so UFC officials will certainly be searching for the sport’s first breakout flyweight star – a figure capable of drawing attention to flyweights in a way that Ronda Rousey has done for the female division. ‘Mighty Mouse’ certainly boasts the skills and is a sponsor’s dream with his squeaky clean image. But Dodson’s rambunctious style might even be more useful – the type of brash, outspoken character some fans adore and others love to hate.

Consider, for instance, his take on what he may need to do to impress viewers. “I don’t need to prove anything,” Dodson said. “Why? Because, I’m awesome. And if they don’t like it, they can go and kick rocks.”

Ultimately, of course, the responsibility of promoting flyweights boils down to White and his team, who have already teased an even-smaller 115lb weight class. So with boos tarnishing the flyweights’ introduction to the mass public, does the UFC boss have any concerns the division may never take off? 

Hardly. “I’m not worried about it,” he said.

By John Morgan, former Fighters Only World MMA Awards ‘Journalist of the Year’