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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month, and now that he's recovering he's got a target return date in mind: August 17.
That would put him in the headliner of the UFC's first-ever event on the brand new Fox Sports 1 network, which will launch that same day.
The return hopes were reported on Tuesday night's new edition of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV, as Ariel Helwani stated that Johnson's feeling great and has already started rehab. Along with the August 17 date, Helwani said that Johnson would still like to face John Moraga on the card.
The two would have headlined the Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale card on April 13 in Las Vegas, but Johnson's shoulder injury required surgery. That card will now be headlined by a bantamweight bout between Urijah Faber and Scott Jorgensen.
Penick's Analysis: If Johnson's not ready until August, it may make sense for Moraga to take a fight between now and then. But if he's willing to sit for at least five months, and potentially more, and that's what the UFC wants to put together for August, then that's the way it'll play out.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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