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HAVERVOLD: A point by point breakdown of UFC 174's Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov main event
Jun 13, 2014 - 1:25:20 PM HAVERVOLD: A point by point breakdown of UFC 174's Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov main event

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By: Kale Havervold, MMATorch Contributor

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson puts his Flyweight Championship on the line once again on Saturday night at UFC 174 in Vancouver. Across from him is the 13-2 Dagestani in Ali Bagautinov, who earned his title fight with three wins in a row to start his UFC run. Let's see how they match up in this pay-per-view headliner.


Striking

Johnson

Demetrious Johnson has in the past has been called out by his critics for not having the punching power necessary to sustain a long title run. However, in his last fight he shut all of those critics up with a brutal KO win over Joseph Benavidez. Johnson is best when he is able to move freely and get punches in bunches.

Bagautinov

Bagautinov may just have the hardest hands in the division following Benavidez. He may lack the speed and agility of Mighty Mouse, but makes up for it with his power. Despite only having one KO in his UFC career, his power is well noted. This category will come down to DJ's technique and Ali's power. Too close to call in my opinion.

ADVANTAGE – PUSH


Wrestling/Takedowns

Johnson

Johnson has established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the UFC through his Flyweight Title reign. In his four title bouts, he has scored a whopping 22 takedowns, while only being taken down twice. He is able to use his speed wonderfully to secure takedowns right after throwing combos, which a lot of fighters are unable to master as DJ is easily the fastest fighter in the UFC.

Bagautinov

Not to be outdone, Ali Bagautinov is an experienced sambo practitioner, like his countrymen Rustam Khabilov and Khabib Nurmagomedov, which means his takedowns and wrestling are top notch. One negative for Ali here is that he tends to throw wild punches, which can leave him susceptible to the speedy takedowns of Johnson.

ADVANTAGE – Johnson (1)


BJJ/Grappling

Johnson

When it comes to grappling, both fighters here tonight are very, very good at gaining and maintaining top control, and neither have been submitted, so this category will come down to control. DJ is very good in top position, but doesn’t necessarily have the grappling pedigree that Bagautinov does.

Bagautinov

Bagautinov has a very good handle on the discipline of Sambo, which means his grappling is world class. From his limited resume inside the Octagon, he has looked very good, but hasn’t fought anyone near the level of Mighty Mouse. I think this category will come down to who is better able to control the fight, and I think that will be Demetrious Johnson.

ADVANTAGE – Johnson (2)


Conditioning/Championship experience

Johnson

As MMA fans know, DJ has all but cleaned out the UFC's flyweight division. He is known for having great cardio and being able to remain fresh, even though he is among the most active and fast UFC fighters. He has had four title fights in the UFC and has looked great in all of them. Also, he has been into the fourth and fifth rounds and has seen good results, while Bagautinov has never even seen a fourth.

Bagautinov

Ali Bagautinov is no slouch, and has been in his fair share of title fights, none of which went to the judges scorecards. Ali is a very capable fighter with great grappling and knockout power, but with throwing such power into every strike, Ali likely cannot do that for five full rounds, especially against a guy like Johnson. The later the fight goes, the better for Johnson.

ADVANTAGE – Johnson(3)

EDGE: Johnson 3-0-1

As much as I love the guy, I don’t think Ali Bagautinov has much more than a puncher's chance in this title fight. Johnson without a doubt has a strangehold on the division, and is far and away the best fighter in it. I think Johnson will use his speed and footwork to avoid the power of Bagautinov, and will either pick him apart at a distance or engage him in wrestling. Either way, I do not see a new champion being crowned on Saturday night.

PICK: Demetrious Johnson wins by Unanimous Decision