UFC 227: Re-Cap

UFC 227: Re-Cap

The Staples Center in Los Angeles saw the feud between TJ Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt surely settled once and for all as Dillashaw repeated his win from 9 months ago to retain his UFC bantamweight title against his former team-mate.

Free from the back issues he cited as a reason for his defeat last time, the former champion Garbrandt looked less emotional and supremely confident to reverse the previous fight, but Dillashaw looking equally as confident during the introductions was even more impressive this time once the fight started.

The bell probably saved him the first time around in the 1st round of their first meeting but this time Dillashaw left no doubt who the better man was. Garbrandt talked pre-fight about speed being the difference but in reality, it was the ability to hold a shot. Like many big punchers Garbrandt’s chin seems to be a weakness and for a 2nd time, Dillashaw made him pay.

Dillashaw survived the early exchanges without the drama of the first fight and when he hurt his opponent with a right he would not be denied, and Herb Dean stepped in after a succession of punches and a telling knee to save the brave but outgunned Garbrandt at the 4:10 mark of the opening round.

Dillashaw improves his record to 16-3, Garbrandt drops to 11-2.

As one foe is vanquished another one is never far away and Dillashaw already has his next opponent seemingly lined up.

In a seismic upset, Henry Cejudo upset the long-reigning UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson via split decision by scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 47-48. Johnson the champion since 2012 seemed a little slower than before but Cejudo stuck to his game plan and upset the odds and is now only the 2nd UFC flyweight champion in history.

Going into the 5th and final round most observers had it 2-2 and the fight hinging on the last round, and it was a desperately close round to score. I marginally favoured Johnson but the majority of the judges disagreed and the long reign of Johnson ended.

Leading up to the fight there was little buzz about the rematch, Johnson was so dominant in his previous 11 successful defences including a previous one round over Cejudo and it seemed a matter of how Johnson would win, not if.

Johnson was effective on the feet but not overwhelmingly so and Cejudo more than held his own, but the takedown’s of Cejudo in the 2nd, 4th and crucially the 5th were the difference.

Post-fight Cejudo called for the winner of Dillashaw and Garbrandt and in an era where the UFC are looking for super fights, he may get his wish.

The out-going champion is only 31 and only a fool would write him off and at some point, he will surely get a chance to regain his belt.

Cejudo is now 13-2 while Johnson in losing for the first time since 2011 slides to 27-3-1.