If UFC 174 showed one thing, it's that one man can't make an event.
Demetrious Johnson put on a masterful performance. In the same way Fedor Emelianenko played his opponents' game and beat them, "Mighty Mouse" attacked Ali Bagautinov in the one area where Bagautinov was assumed to be superior: the clinch. He brutally tenderized the Russian's torso from bell to bell.
It left the UFC commentary team asking "What is next for Demetrious Johnson?" It left the Vancouver crowd wondering "Can I beat the traffic if I leave during the second round?"
Indeed, a mass exodus took place during Johnson versus Bagautinov, and there are many ways to interpret that. Are the flyweights still being rejected by fans? Were they dissatisfied with the lengthy stretch of yawn-inducing fights beforehand? Did this stem from comped tickets going to people that just didn't actually care much?
Tough call. Also beyond my pay grade.
What I do know is that the biggest loser tonight was Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson. He just reasserted himself as one of the greatest fighters in the world, and the only people that could muster up applause were the crickets.
