This article was written by guest contributor Josh Burkholder.
Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, will host UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov, live on pay-per-view tonight. The Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts card is stacked, headlined by Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson defending his flyweight title, a welterweight bout with serious title shot implications, and the return of a legend.
Main Event
Flyweight (125 pounds) title bout
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (Champion, 19-2-1) vs. Ali “Puncher King” Bagautinov (#4 flyweight contender, 13-2-0)
The Dagestani invasion of mixed martial arts continues this Saturday, which marks the second time in two weeks that a UFC event is headlined by a fighter from the small section of Russia. Ali “Puncher King” Bagautinov, riding an impressive 11-fight win streak, looks to knock off Johnson, the inaugural flyweight champion. Bagautinov, a two-time World Sambo Champion, has gone 3-0 since entering MMA’s big leagues. Despite two of those wins being over fighters ranked within the top 10, he faces a huge step up in competition against Johnson.
Mighty Mouse’s last defeat came in October 2011, when he lost via decision to then bantamweight (135 pounds) champ Dominick Cruz, which prompted his move down to the newly added flyweight division. Since his reclassification, Johnson has ripped through UFC’s smallest division with an impressive 5-0-1 record. His most recent fight lasted just over two minutes when he knocked out the always-game Joseph Benavidez (the No. 2 flyweight contender). Tonight, Mighty Mouse will attempt to solidify his spot near the top of the pound-for-pound list by defending his belt for a fourth time.
Bagautinov has the wrestling acumen to keep his opponent standing, where he can land some devastating shots. This is a tall order, however, as Mighty Mouse is incredibly quick, has superior footwork, and seems to get better in every fight. The Dagestani has yet to have his gas tank tested in a title fight, whereas Johnson has shown cardio that is second to none.
Prediction: “Mighty Mouse” is just too quick and technically sound. He will show why he’s one of the best fighters on the planet. Johnson by decision.
Co-Main Event
Welterweight (170 pounds) bout
Rory “Ares” MacDonald (#2, 16-2-0) vs. Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley (#3, 13-2-0)
Before UFC’s fastest division’s title is on the line, two top welterweights, Rory “Ares” MacDonald and Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley will do battle in the co-main event to determine the possible No. 1 contender to the newly crowned welterweight champion, Johny Hendricks.
This matchup has “Fight of the Night” written all over it. MacDonald is 6-1 in his last seven fights, with his only loss coming from Robbie Lawler (the No. 1 welterweight contender), the man who last fought the champ to a decision loss. A former training partner of welterweight king Georges St. Pierre, MacDonald is believed by many to be the next great Canadian champion at 170 pounds. He possesses great technique and has no holes in his game.
Standing across from MacDonald is a two-time All-American wrestler out of the University of Missouri. Woodley has gone 3-1 since he arrived in UFC, with all of his wins by knockout or TKO over some tough veterans: Jay Hieron, Josh Koscheck, and Carlos Condit (No. 4 welterweight). Woodley’s only loss was in a lackluster contest with Jake Shields via split decision.
“The Chosen One” is an explosive, high-octane fighter with the ability to knock any welterweight out with a single shot. With the highly anticipated Matt Brown (the No. 5 welterweight) vs. Lawler matchup made for later this summer now being touted as the new No. 1 contender’s bout, Woodley’s and MacDonald’s chances at a title shot look a bit distant. Woodley, however, believes differently.
“My reaction is if I go out there and fight Rory and put the whooping on Rory like he’s never had before, I think I’ll be fighting for the title,” Woodley said to Fox Sports. “I think Dana White says a lot of things — I’ll never do this, I’ll never do that, I’ll never sign a woman to the UFC, anybody that was on this EA Sports video game will never fight in the UFC — I think performances stand out. I think that’s what my plan was anyways. Go out and put on a high-level performance against a high level guy and really just stay focused on that and let everything fall into place.”
After delivering a beating to the likes of Nate Diaz, Mike Pyle, Che Mills, and subsequently retiring the great B.J. Penn, MacDonald seemed to lack the killer instinct in his last three fights. On the contrary, Woodley looks more impressive each time we see him. His ability to close the distance and deliver lightning-fast, powerful blows is uncanny.
Prediction: MacDonald’s mix of technique and streaks of viciousness make for a tough fight for anyone in the welterweight division, and at 24 years old, he probably will see a title shot in his near future, but likely not this year. Woodley is a scary, scary fighter at 170 pounds. He is motivated and has something to prove to the higher-ups. Woodley by knockout in round 2.
Undercard match
Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) bout
Ryan “Darth” Bader (#9, 17-4-0) vs. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (#12, 12-4-0)
Also on the card is a light heavyweight bout featuring The Ultimate Fighter season 8 winner, Ryan “Darth” Bader, and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. Bader, a two-time All-American wrestler out of Arizona State University, is looking to string a pair of wins together for the first time in two years. Bader’s last win over a top-tier opponent was in 2012, with a unanimous decision over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
For Feijao, this fight is an opportunity to break into the top 10 of the light heavyweight division. He is a durable black belt Brazilian jiujitsu fighter out of the famed Black House gym, where he trains with the greatest fighter of all time, Anderson Silva, and the legendary Nogueira brothers, and is 1-1 since entering UFC.
Prediction: Bader would be wise to use his wrestling and turn this fight into a three-round decision. All but one of Cavalcante’s 12 wins have come by way of knockout. Will he follow that gameplan, or will he try to stand up with the Brazilian? If he does, I see a short night for “Darth” Bader. Feijao by knockout in round 1.
The return of “The Pit Bull”
Heavyweight (265 pounds) bout
Andrei “The Pit Bull” Arlovski (Unranked, 21-10-0) vs. Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub (#14, 11-3-0)
Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski returns to UFC for the first time in six years. A former heavyweight champion, he has had some ups and downs since leaving UFC, but has recently seen a career resurgence, going 6-1 with one no-contest in his last eight fights. The Belarusian-born fighter, now under the tutelage of famed coach Greg Jackson, looks to take a final crack at climbing to the top of the mountain from which he once ruled. But fans have to wonder: how much does Arlovski have left in the tank?
Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub, a former contestant of The Ultimate Fighter and former NFL prospect, looks to make a run of his own. His record stands at 6-3 since he has been in UFC, with notable wins over legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Gabriel Gonzaga. But does he have what it takes to break into the top 10?
Prediction: This is the biggest question mark on the card. Has Schaub improved enough to compete with the division’s elite? Does Arlovski have another run in him? I have to go with my heart on this one. Arlovski by decision.
This card has all the makings of a great night of fights. Will a champion continue his reign of dominance, or will we see a shocking upset? Will welterweight champ Hendricks have a new contender? Can a legend regain the greatness he once showed? We will find out tonight!
Also on the card
Light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout
Ovince St. Preux (#13, 15-5-0) vs. Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo (Unranked, 19-3-0)
Prelims live on FX (8 p.m. Eastern)
Welterweight bout: Daniel Sarafian vs. Kiichi “Strasser” Kunimoto
Women’s bantamweight bout: Valerie “Trouble” Letourneau vs. Elizabeth Phillips
Bantamweight bout: Yves “Tiger” Jabouin vs. Mike “The Hulk” Easton
Lightweight bout: Kajan “Ragin'” Johnson vs. Tae Hyun “Supernatural” Bang