MMA Event Breakdown - UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer
MMA Event Breakdown – UFC Fight Night – Hermansson vs. Pyfer
Editor’s Note – The remainder of the card will be posted tomorrow.
Michael Johnson vs. Darrius Flowers
Fight Odds: -135 Johnson vs. +115 Flowers
Weight Class: 155lb. (Lightweight)
This is the kind of prediction that could look really foolish in hindsight, but I have to stick to my gut. Michael Johnson is a career underachiever with an incredible resume in the UFC but a lack of consistency throughout his career that has led to a 13-15 record inside the organization, and he has been finished in more than 50% of those losses. Johnson and Flowers have both shown massive liabilities on the ground throughout their careers, with Johnson accruing nine losses via submission (5 in the UFC alone) and Flowers accruing five of his six professional losses via submission (including most recently in his UFC debut).
Flowers debuted on short notice and up a weight class after earning his contract on the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series at a big UFC pay-per-view card against a tested welterweight opponent in Jake Matthews. Now Flowers gets an opportunity at a more reasonable weight class against a fighter who is diminishing physically, regressing in terms of durability, and who has consistently failed to deliver as a favorite throughout his UFC career. I like Flowers to spring the upset via finish, but I also believe the narrative that he has no cardio based on his fights with minimal preparation at 185 lbs and 170lbs. in the past. I believe the discipline it takes to make 155lbs will shape him.
Prediction: Darrius Flowers defeats Michael Johnson via Club & SUB Rd. 1/2