Following successful shoulder surgery, Demetrious Johnson eyes TJ Dillashaw super fight at UFC 226

Who said Demetrious Johnson doesn’t want none of T.J. Dillashaw?

According to recent comments from “Mighty Mouse” during a fan chat for Metro PCS (via MMA Junkie), the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion revealed he is eyeing a return to action this summer. And he wants to throw down against none other than the current UFC Bantamweight title holder.

Assuming all goes well with recovery from his recent surgery, of course.

“Recovery is going good. I had rotator cuff (surgery), labrum and joint clean-out. After 11 title defenses and 12 championship fights, the old dog needs to get some rehab. I got it cleaned up. (With) six weeks recovery, we can get strong again, and hopefully T.J. Dillashaw can get this match done. Hopefully July, International Fight Week, on a big, big card.”

Dillashaw has been on the campaign trail trying to lock down a fight against Johnson for some time now ... and he even managed to get UFC president Dana White on board. After what seemed like initial hesitance on the part of Johnson, it seems the reigning 125-pound champion is ready to throw down against “Viper,” though no word on whether it will be at 125 or 135 pounds.

Johnson is coming off his eleventh straight title defense after submitting Ray Borg at UFC 216 in Oct. 2016. As for Dillashaw, he reclaimed the 135-pound title by knocking out Cody Garbrandt in the co-main event of UFC 217 a month later. Afterward, he was very open about wanting to be the one to end Johnson’s dominant 125-pound reign, which now seems like a real possibility if all the right pieces fall into place.

UFC 226 will be the culmination of International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and since the promotion traditionally tries to stack that event, adding Johnson vs Dillashaw to a card that could possibly also feature Cyborg vs Nunes will be a good start in giving the company its marquee blockbuster event of the summer.