The main event for the upcoming UFC 216 is Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee for the Interim UFC lightweight title. The winner may go on to face Conor McGregor. But many feel that the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Demetrious Johnson, should be the headliner.
Demetrious Johnson Overlooked
Demetrious Johnson is the UFC flyweight champion.
He is considered by many to be the best MMA pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
His fight against Ray Borg was added to UFC 216 after Ferguson vs Lee was already announced as the main event.
UFC has made Johnson vs Borg the co-main event for UFC 216 and it is not sitting right with many people.
Johnson will defend his title on Saturday night and if he is successful, he will set a new record for the most consecutive wins in title defense fights.
That is no small feat. The skills of these great ‘Mighty Mouse’ are unmatched, even in other weight classes in MMA.
He is supremely talented in all facets of the sport. Yet he isn’t the main event?
UFC in a Bind
The only explanation is that UFC had already announced the main event and couldn’t change it later for the Johnson fight. So they made the best of the situation by making his fight the co-main event.
Johnson will be getting pay-per-view points from the night though, unlike the other co-main event fighters.
Demetrius Johnson is getting his due where it counts. But he is not getting the respect that he is earned throughout his MMA career.
The only reason being the flyweight is not the most ‘popular’ weight class in the UFC and putting a flyweight fight on the main event alone could have been bad for the organization.
Whatever the reason, UFC 216 is set and on Saturday Oct 7 inside the T Mobile Arena, we will see who shines the most when fighters enter the octagon.