Henry Cejudo no match for 'brilliant' Demetrious Johnson at UFC 197

LAS VEGAS – Demetrious Johnson is, simply, one of the finest fighting machines on Planet Earth.

For some reason, and it has more to do with you than it does with him, Johnson hasn’t been widely embraced by the mixed martial arts fan base. All he does is conduct himself as a complete professional, give his time freely and then fight like one of the best to have ever done it once the bell sounds.

The undefeated Henry Cejudo, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, simply was no match on this night at UFC 197 from the MGM Grand Garden. Johnson was better from the beginning to the lightning quick end, as he needed just 2:49 to win by knockout.

Johnson and Cejudo were in a clinch near the cage. Johnson came out of the clinch with a forearm to the face and then raked Cejudo with a vicious knee to the face.

Cejudo wobbled backward toward the other side of the Octagon with Johnson in hot pursuit. He landed a straight left, and then two more knees, the second of which crumpled him in the corner.

“I got him off balance,” Johnson said. “When I hit him with the left knee to the liver, I heard him go, ‘Oooh,’ and I knew it was over.”

Johnson, perhaps the quickest man in the sport, swarmed Cejudo and referee John McCarthy quickly stopped it.

Johnson has lapped the field at flyweight, and it seems only a rematch with the great bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, could provide a fight in which the outcome wasn’t obvious before the opening bell.

Before there was a flyweight division, Johnson fought Cruz at bantamweight and lost via decision.

If Cruz gets past archrival Urijah Faber in June, a bout later in the year with Johnson would be compelling.

Johnson isn’t one prone to bragging, but he even had to point out the truth after the bout.

“That’s organic fighting right there,” Johnson said. “I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and I keep improving.”

In addition to winning 10 straight fights, he’s finished three of his last four and is now 24-2-1.

Joseph Benavidez is the only guy in the division now who can be remotely competitive with Johnson and Johnson has already beaten him twice.

If Cruz gets past Faber in their rubber match in June, that’s the fight the UFC ought to make. Both are brilliant and there are arguments to make on both sides.

What can’t be disputed, though, is one simple fact: Demetrious Johnson is brilliant.