Why doesn't Mighty Mouse ever go up a weightclass to fight?

[Combat Wombatt]

Demetrious Johnson is on an 11 fight win streak with 10 of those defending the Flyweight belt which is one of the best title defense streaks ever. He's really beaten everyone soundly. I know that MM lost to Cruz a long time ago for the Bantamweight belt, it would have been a perfect time for a rematch with Cruz before Dominic got dethroned by Cody. Now that Cody is Bantamweight champ he'll have to and should defend his belt a few times before. At FW there is really only TJ Dillishaw and then Lineker that'd be interesting.

Conor already went up and won the LW belt after already winning but never defending the Featherweight belt. So, MM doesn't need have FW defenses to fight at another weight class. If MM is really the pound for pound best in the world than he should at least be competitive.

People talk about Anderson, GSP, McGregor, and others going up or down to fight outside of their weight classes, where are the calls for Mighty Mouse to go up to bantamweight?


I think it would be interesting to see and he's really accomplished all there is to accomplish at Flyweight. Why not MM vs. whoever is bantamweight champ within 2 years?

 

[blaseblah]

He's more interested in setting the title defense record.

 

[Cooliox]

If I'm not mistaken, he wanted 2 million to fight TJ.

That being said, if he vacates the title and moves up then the division is done.

He is the only name at 125

 

[cumafish]

He would get rekt, that's why.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

The only interesting fights for him are at 135, flyweight is so dead, he has fought all the top guys there and the best flyweight behind him is Benavidez and I for one don't want to see Mighty Mouse vs Benavidez part 552871693580.

He is fighting nameless faces, a lot of the guys who have got title shots at flyweight have only fought on the prelims. Cariaso, Elliot, Reis, more too.

 

[BigMuffler]

He is small even for FLW, he has walked around at 138 before so he would be tiny at BW.

 

[SuperNerd]

He has named his price

 

[DWAYNEAMERICA]

No legit fan gives a shit about fighters moving up in weight.

Defend your title.

Clean out your division.

 

[Alphaboy]

I'm one of those rare people who think "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Yea, it may suck on our end as fans who don't get to see more action, but he remains champ and keeps making those bucks.

It reminds me of people who always said "Floyd Mayweather needs to take more risks and stop being a point fighter."

I'm like: The guy wins every single fight and has made $10 bazillion dollars sticking to a gameplan, why change?

 

[clutchCAT420]

He did. He got his ass kicked and thats why we have the MM division..

 

[Marvelous Marvin]

He said that he will go up when Dana meets his salary demand for it.

 

[LouisBolanos]

No legit fan gives a shit about fighters moving up in weight.

Defend your title.

Clean out your division.

No legit fan gives a shit about Mighty Mouse.

He's already cleared out that division. Even people who buy tickets to UFC fights walk out on him. There will be much more interest in him if he moved up to BW.

 

[emmstein]

how much heavier can a manlet get?

 

[DWAYNEAMERICA]

No legit fan gives a shit about Mighty Mouse.

I like skilled fighters.

Be they tiny, women or french canadian.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

No legit fan gives a shit about fighters moving up in weight.

Defend your title.

Clean out your division.

Doesn't matter what legit fans want when casuals can pay your bill.

 

[Inertia Creeps]

He's about to break an all time UFC record in his current one, one that he's never lost in and is becoming historically dominant in. And he has already fought and won numerous times at 135, including a competitive title fight with a guy half a foot and 30+ lbs bigger than he is, when he wasn't even half as experienced or skilled as he is now to boot. Not that he wouldn't consider fighting at 135 again, he's indicated numerous times he would have no problem doing so again if the UFC were to pay him properly to take such a fight, which they have refused to even consider.

 

[LouisBolanos]

I like skilled fighters.

Be they tiny, women or french canadian.

His skill would be much better tested, with more fan interest, at BW.

It's 10 lbs. We're not asking him to move to MW. Muggsy Bogues is smaller than MM and he played in the NBA against 7-foot giants. I have no respect for guys who use their physical size as excuse to cower in some designated "safe space" aka flyweight.

 

[LouisBolanos]

Doesn't matter what legit fans want when casuals can pay your bill.

And this is what makes casual legit fans.

They're actually the ones keeping the business afloat.

 

[Coolkid666]

Because ever since he got big brothered by Dominic Cruz in 2011

 

[The Schmoop]

• He wants that Defense Record
• He's small for 125. Fuck going up.


It seems fans are expecting champions to move up a lot earlier than in the past. If he feels there is still work to do within his division, then by all means, stick around and finish it. The record is within reach. It's the most prestigious record there is (for fighters who give a shit about their legacy anyway). In the end, he'll always be too small for BW. His superior speed will be negated by significant size disadvantages. He'd enjoy success there but I highly doubt he'd sniff gold.