After another scrapped Tony Ferguson fight, Michael Johnson targets Diaz, Pettis, Dunham

UFC lightweight Michael Johnson figured Tony Ferguson would take an opportunity to avenge a loss at UFC 209, especially since he volunteered to fight on one day’s notice.

“I don’t see why he wouldn’t take the fight with me,” Johnson today told MMAjunkie.

Johnson said he was actually the first to call UFC President Dana White this past Friday to save the pay-per-view event’s co-headliner, despite White calling during his interview with MMAjunkie Radio and asking if he could make weight.

“I talked about it with my coaches, talked to Dana and tried to work it out,” he said.

It wasn’t the first time Johnson (17-11 MMA, 9-7 UFC) had volunteered to step in between Ferguson (22-3 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (24-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who defeated him at UFC 205 this past November.

This past week, however, it was Nurmagomedov who fell ill during his weight cut on Thursday and was unable to fight Ferguson for the interim lightweight title. And at least initially, a replacement looked promising. But then Ferguson turned down the bout.

This time around, Ferguson said he had his reasons for refusing Johnson as a short-notice replacement.

“@Ufc Told Me It Wasn’t For The Title And It Was For Less Pay,” Ferguson wrote on Twitter. “Willing To Fight You For Right Price.”

In 2012, Johnson handed Ferguson the only loss of his octagon career at UFC on FOX 3. For a short while, it seemed like both fighters were set to run it back. But a booking at UFC 197 was canceled, and they moved on to different opponents.

Only Johnson kept volunteering. He said this time, he didn’t even get into numbers with White. He primarily wanted to save the card, which took a huge blow as the result of the last-minute cancellation. But it was not meant to be.

Johnson said the UFC should probably take this past weekend’s events as a sign that Nurmagomedov vs. Johnson isn’t meant to happen.

“I think everybody needs to move on from it,” he said.

As for what happens next in his career, Johnson hopes to return to the cage in late May or early June. He welcomed the chance to fight on an international card, naming UFC Fight Night 109 in Sweden and UFC Fight Night 110 in New Zealand as possibilities.

Opponents with name recognition, a high ranking and willingness to fight are in short supply, he said. But if UFC star Nate Diaz doesn’t snag a trilogy fight with Conor McGregor, he’d love a rematch after an upset defeat at UFC on FOX 17.

Johnson also mentioned being in communication with former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis’ people about a future matchup, though nothing formal had materialized. He also picked out tough veteran Evan Dunham as a desired opponent.

“I’m open to fight guys that are at the top of the division,” he said. “I need to fight pretty soon.”

It seems a rematch with Ferguson isn’t in the cards anymore. The would-be interim title challenger is now targeting a fight with undisputed champ McGregor, who’s on a 10-month hiatus in anticipation of his first child.

Should Ferguson again find himself without an opponent, Johnson isn’t sure he’d volunteer.

“I’m not going to keep offering this guy a rematch if he doesn’t want it,” he said.

And if he somehow manages to capture the belt first, you can bet he won’t be agreeing to a last-minute fight.

For complete coverage of UFC 209, check out the UFC Events section of the site.