Demetrious Johnson ready to take UFC 197 main event if needed: 'It wouldn't be 1st time'

For the fourth consecutive fight, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson could be pushed into a main event slot that wasn’t originally intended for him.

Johnson (23-2-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) is currently set to put his 125-pound belt on the line against Henry Cejudo (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in UFC 197’s co-headliner on April 23 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

However, the recent legal issues for Jon Jones, who is scheduled to challenge Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight title in the main event, has put the fight in legitimate jeopardy.

Jones currently sits in a jail cell in Albuquerque, N.M., where he will remain until today, when he’ll appear before a judge for violating his parole due multiple traffic citations received for allegedly drag racing.

Although representatives for the fighter are confident Jones’ most recent mishap won’t impact his spot at UFC 197, it’s possible Jones could be sentenced to punishment that would prevent him from making the fight date.

If that proves to be the case, the most logical option may be to postpone the bout with Cormier and bump Johnson vs. Cejudo to the main event position.

Various circumstances caused “Mighty Mouse” fights to go from co-main to main event position at UFC 191 this past September, UFC 186 in April 2015 and UFC 178 in September 2014. Johnson said he’s believes Jones won’t be pulled from UFC 197, but if the worst happens he’ll be ready to step up once more.

“It’s not a concern of mine at this point,” Johnson told MMAjunkie. “I’m sure Jon Jones is going to be there. It’s just a court date. If he would have hit another person or something like that, I would be a little more worried. But I think Jon Jones is going to do what he needs to do to make it there April 23. If I have to step up and be the main event, it wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve done it multiple times, and I’ll do it again.”

Although Johnson vs. Cejudo is a highly anticipated flyweight title fight between a long-reigning champion and an undefeated challenger with an Olympic gold medal on his resume, it doesn’t carry quite the same luster as the grudge match between Cormier and Jones, which is a rematch more a than year in the making.

Moreover, pay-per-view events in which Johnson has served at the top of the bill have struggled to produce significant pay-per-view buy rates. UFC champions are typically contracted to receive a cut of pay-per-view revenue depending on the success of an event, and without Cormier and Jones fighting, Johnson stands to not only lose money, but also a bigger platform to showcase his skills.

“A lot of people are waiting to see this rematch with Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, and I think it’s a great platform for the flyweight to get behind those guys because it brings more eyes,” Johnson said. “It’s like Holly Holm and Miesha Tate (at UFC 196). They got all those eyes on them because Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz were going after it. If Conor or Nate had dropped out, it would have changed. If Jon Jones and ‘DC’ don’t fight on this card, I can expect not to see the same numbers.”

For more on UFC 197, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.