There appear to be some mixed signals following the cancellation of Cody Garbrandt‘s UFC bantamweight title defense against TJ Dillashaw.
Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw was supposed to take place at UFC 213, but after Garbrandt had to pull out of the fight due to a lingering back injury, the UFC moved swiftly to replace the bout. Company president Dana White announced on Tuesday that women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes would headline the July 8 fight card, putting her belt on the line against Valentina Shevchenko, and an interim middleweight title fight between Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker would take the co-main event slot.
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That was all well and good, but White also told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that, with Garbrandt on the sidelines, they were planning to have Dillashaw challenge UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson for his belt in August.
Dana White also tells me Cody Garbrandt is officially off UFC 213 and that plan is to have TJ Dillashaw fight Demetrious Johnson in August.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 24, 2017
That didn’t sit well with Johnson, who has been expecting a match-up with No. 3 ranked 125-pound contender Ray Borg.
Johnson took to Twitter late Tuesday to say, “Just so the world know(s), I haven’t agree to anything. Still waiting on my contract to fight Ray Borg, not TJ Dillashaw. If he wants a title shot, he can come to flyweight and get a win, then get his turn.”
Neither White nor the UFC has commented since the blowback from Johnson hit social media.
Just so the world know I haven't agreed to anything still waiting on my contract to fight @tazmexufc not @TJDillashaw if he wants a title
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) May 24, 2017
Shot he can come to flyweight and get a win then get his turn
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) May 24, 2017
