...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"I can definitely see [a title shot coming] and that's the plan. Go in here and get a decisive victory, whether it's a knockout or a decision, just a dominant performance and that puts me right there for a title shot where I feel like I do deserve it after that point. Everything's right on schedule for me... I feel it's definitely my time. I've put in the work, I've stayed patient and now it's time to really beat the who's who and get up to the top of this division. It's time for some new faces. It's definitely my year, my time to go get it."
-Michael Johnson talks to FoxSports.com about why he thinks a title shot should be next if and when he beats Benson Henderson at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale.
Penick's Analysis: Johnson's got a massive opportunity to move close to that title picture, but I don't think a win here gets him the shot. Donald Cerrone, despite facing a lesser opponent in John Makdessi, is likely to get that shot if he wins at UFC 187, because it will serve as his eighth straight win in the division since losing to the current Champ in Rafael dos Anjos. That's enough activity and enough time to get him that rematch. Johnson is on a very good four fight run, and beating Henderson would be big for him, but it's not quite enough to propel him into that top contender spot in a division like this.
[Benson Henderson art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
DON'T GO YET... WE SUGGEST THESE MMATORCH ARTICLES, TOO!
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.