Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi: What We Learned from UFC 186 Title Fight

Few fans or pundits gave Kyoji Horiguchi much of a chance against Demetrious Johnson in the UFC 186 main event. On paper, the bout was promising, but featured an undeniably green prospect entering the cage against the most dominant male fighter in MMA today. In the cage, it largely panned out like just like that.

Horiguchi, a deadly-accurate karateka, got a bit of offense in and found his groove early, landing punches at range and knees in the clinch. Johnson, as one would expect from a long-time champ, made the adjustments and took control. 

Minute by minute, Johnson became more comfortable, timing his shots and landing his lightning-quick punches with a steadily rising degree of effortlessness. By the championship rounds, he was taking Horiguchi down at will. While it seemed like the fight was bound to go to decision, Johnson laced his prey up with, quite literally, a last-second arm bar.

Johnson retook his record for latest UFC finish in a permanent way, scoring the submission victory at 4:59 of Round 5.

So what lessons are there to take from this bout?

For Horiguchi, it was confirmation of what many were already suspecting: He just plain isn't ready for top-tier competition yet. Sure, there were flashes of legitimate offense in the form of well-placed, well-timed punches. Unfortunately, Horiguchi didn't have the answer to the second look of Johnson, and by the end, it was as though he was playing checkers to Johnson's masterful chess.

Could the protege of Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto wind up being a truly elite talent down the line? Absolutely. This year, however, is not his and it is unfortunate that he was pressed into trying to make it so.

For Johnson, the lessons are varied and many.

First, of course, he reaffirmed that he is an amazing, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime talent. His quickness borders on inhuman and his ability to capitalize on openings, whether in the form of a takedown while standing or a submission on the ground, is marvelous to watch.

Second, unfortunately, is another thing we already knew: The vast majority of fans just don't care about that. The magical formula for creating a UFC star remains impossible to deduce, and what ingredient Johnson lacks is tough to pinpoint. Whether it's his lack of mic work, his inability to deliver easy-to-digest "wow" moments, his lack of a Chael Sonnen or Conor McGregor-like rival, or his small stature, the man can't draw crickets to chirp at his cards. It's a shame but, alas, it's a fact of combat sports.

While the fight itself was a swirl of both good and bad, it was undeniably a treat for the technique-minded fans. Hopefully, one day, Johnson will get the respect and adoration he deserves.

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