Demetrious Johnson: I Might Stick Around And Keep Wrecking Flyweights
Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson is one of the most dominant champions in not only UFC history, but mixed martial arts (MMA) history itself, as ‘DJ’ attempts to make his ninth consecutive title defense tonight (Saturday December 3, 2016) against Ultimate Fighter Season 24 (TUF 24) winner Tim Elliot.
‘Mighty Mouse’ has been adamant that his focus for now is breaking former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s title defense record of ten, before even considering jumping up in weight for super-fights after having cleared out his division over his nearly five year career at 125 pounds. Recently speaking with MMA Junkie, however, Johnson may have had a change of heart and is considering never jumping up in weight for a super-fight and instead continue to dominate at his championship weight:
“I don’t know,” Johnson said. “I don’t really keep track of how many title defense I have. I just don’t. The only time people talk about it is when you just mention it. I’m not at home like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got eight. That’s what’s up.’ I’m just at home doing my thing.
“But for me, obviously it’s beating that record, and then after that I’ll decide what I want to do. If the money is right, or if I’m like, ‘I don’t feel like taking more damage in my career’ – I only get one brain and one body, so I’m like, ‘Why don’t I just stay here and keep just wrecking house if I’m able to do that?’”
Johnson will make his ninth career title defense against Tim Elliot in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 Finale (TUF 24 Finale), a former UFC veteran who has been inside the Octagon with the best the sport has to offer at 125 pounds, a fighter that ‘DJ’ believes brings some ‘awkwardness’ to MMA:
“Everybody knows what he brings – awkwardness – to mixed martial arts,” Johnson said. “He’s fought the best of the best of the division – (John) Dodson, Joseph (Benavidez), Ali Bagautinov. So you know, (I’m) just going out there and fighting and seeing what he wants to do and take it to him.”
In regards to a potential jump up to bantamweight after possibly breaking Silva’s title defense record, Johnson states that it simply isn’t his job to make the division change but is more than happy to throw down with anyone the UFC pairs him up against inside the Octagon:
“At the end of the day, that’s not my job,” Johnson said. “My job is to make weight and fight – that’s it.
“I’m more focused on just keeping on getting better as an athlete, and whoever the UFC calls, ‘Hey, this is your fight,’ I’m like, ‘OK, sounds good.’”
If ‘Mighty Mouse’ does indeed break ‘The Spider’s’ title defense record down the road, should the only flyweight champion in UFC history seriously consider taking his talents back to 135 pounds? Or should he continue to dominate the 125 pounders he’s been tormenting since 2012?
Johnson and Elliot will meet in the main event of TUF 24 Finale for the UFC flyweight title live on FS1, from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight (Saturday December 3, 2016).
