Demetrious Johnson News

Justin Golightly - February 17, 2018

The year of the superfight is truly upon us. Whether they all go down or not, three giant fights between champions in different divisions are expected to fight each other. Whether this is the UFC’s big explosion like the death of a star, or their metamorphosis to survive in the future, it’s clear that things are changing. So, if we’re going to crack open the door to allow for epic fights like these, why not just kick it off the hinges? Let’s take down the political boundaries between organizations and have champions be able to fight other champions to really decide who are the top fighters on our humble spinning rock. Unfortunately, that’s impossible until some sort of MMA Ali Act is passed. However, there is no red tape on our imagination, so this is what we’ll explore in the very first edition of Fight Think. 5.  Bellator World Grand Prix winner vs. Stipe Miocic/Daniel Cormier winner (Bellator heavyweight champion vs UFC heavyweight champion)

Justin Golightly - February 16, 2018

Let’s get real here for a minute. The things that Demetrious Johnson has done are incredible. He’s literally lapped his entire division, he’s the most dominant champion in UFC and ZUFFA history, and if the superfight with UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw happens and Johnson is able to win, it will be hard to argue that he’s not one of – if not the – greatest of all time. What makes Johnson so great are things like UFC 216. Not only did he break Anderson Silva’s title defense record defending his UFC flyweight title against Ray Borg, he did it by submitting him with a freaking German suplex into an armbar. It’s not surprise the fans voted that it was the best submission of all-time. “I’ve done that submission for like three of four years now and everybody out there is like, ‘Oh, that’s The Mouse Trap’. That’s not the Mouse Trap, I have another submission series for the Mouse Trap. That’s the Mighty Wiz Bar because Matt Hume showed me that armbar, I can’t remember how long ago, but I’ve got such a big arsenal working with the same coach for 13 years that you build that database over time. […] “It’s always been in my back pocket, in my toolbox, but I never try to force submissions. When you start trying to force things, that’s when you over-extend, you make mistakes.”

Tom Taylor - February 12, 2018

One of the most talked about fights in MMA at present is a possible flyweight superfight between divisional king Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, and reigning UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw. As the former mentor of the bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw, the probably-retired Urijah Faber is watching on intently as this possible scrap edges toward fruition. While Faber is a little more interested in Dillashaw’s options at bantamweight, he does believe Dillashaw can make the flyweight division’s 125-pound.

Justin Golightly - February 8, 2018

Demetrious Johnson versus TJ Dillashaw. The UFC flyweight champion fighting the UFC bantamweight champion in an ultra high level MMA double title fight. It’s a match-up that everyone has been clamoring for, but still some people aren’t in favor of it. Although, it’s easy to see why Dominick Cruz isn’t keen on the idea. If you count the WEC bantamweight title which the UFC absorbed, Cruz was the bantamweight king from 2010 until he was stripped due to injuries in 2014. A title he nearly immediately got back upon his return from Dillashaw himself. The very same title he wants back. “I think [the bantamweight championship] should be my next fight, but they play weird games where they want to give TJ Dillashaw an easier fight because he doesn’t want to fight somebody hard right after he won the title. He wants an easy fight. So, he wants to fight somebody that he knows he can keep the belt a little longer before he knows he gets a really hard fight, whereas I went TJ Dillashaw, Urijah Faber, Cody Garbrandt and then I lose the belt. Let’s go TJ. I beat you. Don’t you want to get that back? Stop going down and looking for little baby boys at 125. Silly Dilly, that’s what I call him.”

Tom Taylor - February 5, 2018

UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw has been vocal in his belief that, if he gets his desired fight with UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson, the winner of said fight will be MMA’s pound-for-pound king. “[The fight is about] who’s the best pound-for-pound,” Dillashaw said on a recent episode of BJ Penn Radio. “It’s not some bullshit, hyped drama. This is what the sport is really about, it’s who is the best in the world. Demetrious got that number one spot. I feel like I’m the best fighter in the world, man, and I just want to prove it. DJ has my spot and I want to claim it. I’m the best pound-for-pound fighter. I had a couple split decision losses that I didn’t agree with it. If you throw those ones out of the way, I’d be on a 13 fight win streak, seven fight title defense. I’d be where I’m supposed to be, but this is the way for me to get to where I want to be. Demetrious is on top and it’s time for me to take him out.”

Justin Golightly - February 3, 2018

Demetrious Johnson confirms ‘negotiations have begun’ to fight TJ Dillashaw as the co-main event of #UFC226: Cormier vs Miocic. pic.twitter.com/xEcrsiQV4a — Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) February 3, 2018

Justin Golightly - February 2, 2018

The new EA Sports UFC 3 video game just officially released last night and the EA threw one of those crazy parties you only read about. Of course, unofficial UFC 3 ambassador Demetrious Johnson is the unofficial ambassador was there, styling and profiling. He’s been promoting the game since day one and streaming the beta as well as his early release copy to his thousands and thousands of Twitch viewers. While he’s entered a few high profile gaming tournaments, this is probably his eSports peak. Why? Oh, just because he did it all with none other than Jamie freaking Foxx. #EASPORTSBOWL is wild with @OBJ_3 going at @MightyMouseUFC on #UFC3 pic.twitter.com/3T4IpXIOCB

Justin Golightly - February 1, 2018

If you’ve followed UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson‘s life at all outside of the Octagon, you’d know that when he’s not dominating in the Octagon, he’s interacting and playing against fans on his Twitch stream. Rain or shine, holiday or no holiday, he can be found playing all your favorite games live on the platform. Recently, two streaming and sports entertainment worlds collided when Johnson and WWE’s Xavier Woods got together and played some of the new Dragon Ball FighterZ game. You don’t even have to insert a coin to check it out. “That’s what we’re working towards [to be the best fighter on planet Earth]. Gotta keep on working harder to cement that legacy. One hundred percent [I would want to be in a Tournament of Power in the Universe Survival Saga]. One hundred percent. I would win it. I don’t want to spoil the sagas coming up for you, but I’m probably one of the strongest guys in that tournament.”

Tom Taylor - February 1, 2018

One of the most talked about fights in MMA today is a possible superfight between dominating UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw. Pretty much everybody has an opinion on this possible blockbuster, and that includes John Dodson, who has fought both Johnson and Dillashaw in the past. Dodson fought Dillashaw back in 2011, stopping him with a volley of first-round punches. He’s battled Johnson twice, losing both fights by unanimous decision. In Dodson’s mind, this Johnson vs. Dillashaw could well be predicted with a bit of MMA math: if he beat Dillashaw, but lost to Johnson, then Dillashaw is likely to lose to Johnson.

Justin Golightly - January 31, 2018

Somewhere someone is looking at numbers skyrocket. The engagements and impressions are out of control. Suddenly, a dull UFC week is sparked with an army of 14,000 fire emoji. This is what happens when the UFC announces a fight the magnitude of Daniel Cormier moving up to face Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. A tweet like that holds its own gravitational pull. It drags in thousands who release their own satellites out to orbit around the news. People message friends, they send out hyperlinks and quote RTs. The drop of the information is like an event in and of itself. However, not every match-up is like this. Most entire cards aren’t like this. Nowadays, it takes an adrenaline shot to remind fans that MMA is still exciting as hell. Is this the way the UFC stays alive?  Before the ginormous sale, the UFC ramped up their fight cards like the climax of a Michael Bay movie. This all culminated in their pay-per-view draw poster boy fighting Eddie Alvarez in unprecedented champion versus champion main event at UFC 205. Since then however, things have dwindled. Conor McGregor is gone along with other marquee names like Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones.

Justin Golightly - January 24, 2018

The UFC has been teasing that this 25th anniversary year is going to be huge. Going into 2018, it’s hard to imagine a big fight year without the superfight between Demetrious Johnson and TJ Dillashaw happening. It’s been teased even before Johnson broke Anderson Silva’s title defense record with a spectacular submission finish never before seen in the UFC. Dillashaw has already been training, the fight was falsely teased, both parties want it and the UFC needs it. So, why hasn’t it been finalized yet? Aside from recovering from shoulder surgery, it’s because Johnson wants the best possible scenario for him and his opponent. “It’s the superfight everyone wants. I think TJ [Dillashaw] and I are both on board. We just want to make sure it’s on a stacked card. We want to make sure we can benefit from a good pay-per-view buy. I think I deserve it and I think he deserves it. I’d rather have somebody else [be the] main event, who is going to bring in way more PPVs. In my opinion, that’s held up the fight on my end. I’ve seen guys jump on [stacked] PPV cards and make $1.5 million, fighting an inferior opponent than who I’m about to fight. Me and TJ could fight on a smaller card and pull 275,000 buys, get an extra check for $75,000. My management told me, ‘You know what, we’ll hold out for a big event.’ A lot of media and fans think that’s a way of turning down fights or ducking someone, but that’s a way of being a smart businessman and getting the most money you can get.”

Tom Taylor - January 22, 2018

UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who owns the record for most consecutive title defenses of any champion in UFC history, is currently recovering from a surgery. That said, he’s already eyeing his next fight. While Johnson has expressed some disinterest in a potential fight with bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in the past, he seems to have come around. Speaking during a MetroPCS Q&A in the buildup to UFC 220, Johnson announced that he’s hoping to fight Dillashaw this July, on a big card in the midst of the UFC’s International Fight Week.

Justin Golightly - January 10, 2018

Every time Demetrious Johnson’s name has come up since his record-breaking performance, it has been paired with TJ Dillashaw. It seemed like negotiations were getting close, but he has recently dismissed the talk. We’ve known that the main speed bump was money, but it looks like there is another thing standing in the way. While things get figured out, Demetrious Johnson is going to be pulling a Tyron Woodley and repair himself from his demanding fight schedule. He goes in to have shoulder surgery today, which makes a return and the potential superfight between him and Dillashaw completely up in the air. UFC flyweight champ @MightyMouseUFC is undergoing shoulder surgery today. Timetable for return is TBD at this time.

Justin Golightly - January 9, 2018

Demetrious Johnson fighting TJ Dillashaw could be the biggest fight in 2018 and while Johnson has been quiet about the match-up, UFC bantamweight champ Dillashaw will not let it the idea of it fade away. He’s been training for it already for months now and is determined to take everything the ‘Mighty’ flyweight belt holder has earned throughout his record-breaking career. Now he’s gone on record saying if he beats Johnson, he’ll defend both the titles, throwing a little shade at ‘Champ Champ’ Conor McGregor. “This is a way to put a stamp on my legacy. I was a little hurt losing that split decision [to Dominick Cruz] and not being on a 13-fight win streak and being called the pound-for-pound best in the world. In my mind, I should be No. 1. So it comes down to beating Demetrious Johnson to prove I’m the best, and it’s a huge thing for my legacy to be the double champ in two weight classes. I’m not a Conor McGregor. I’m going to be active defending my belts. I’m not afraid to fight.”

Justin Golightly - January 4, 2018

After a false alarm leak, Demetrious Johnson released a statement saying that a Champ Champ fight with TJ Dillashaw still isn’t official yet. But hey, don’t tell Dillashaw that. He’s been training since early December now and is steamrolling ahead like the fight is tomorrow. This is a giant scrap for both fighters and could be one of the most high-level displays of MMA ever. TJ Dillashaw recently opened up about the match-up and the fact that it has a whole lot more on the line that just a belt. This is about legacy and the title of greatest of all time. “I’m looking to come in and dethrone [Demetrious Johnson] from his legacy. He won’t be able to call himself the GOAT anymore. It’s so easy for him to continue calling himself that and take the fights he thinks are a little easier. He’s a cerebral fighter. He and his coach are smart guys, and they know I bring the greatest threat. I think he knows that’s going to be a tough one for him to win. It’s frustrating, because I believe I should be a lot higher [pound-for-pound].”

Justin Golightly - January 3, 2018

What Demetrious Johnson has done is hard. Like, very hard. Look at all the titles that changed hands in 2017. Of course, Mighty Mouse wasn’t one of them. He hasn’t ever been one of them. For six years he hasn’t been beaten, collecting a history-making number of title defenses and surpassing Anderson Silva in the process. It’s one of the reasons he may be slowing down a little bit coming into 2018. The UFC flyweight champion only plans to defend his title twice this year. “That’s the plan, this year two fights. There comes a point in time, I was looking at my Wikipedia page and there were times where I fought four times in one year, I defended the belt three times in one year, got surgery between those title defenses. I think it’s safe to say that my goal is to get two title defenses this year and we will go from there. I’ll try to stay healthy and we will see then. […] You see champions all the time, they get the belt, then they go on a two-fight win streak and lose it. To be able to defend the belt from 2012 to 2017 and hopefully defend two more times in 2018, it’s extremely freaking hard.”

Justin Golightly - January 2, 2018

UFC flyweight champ @MightyMouseUFC addresses recent rumors of him fighting T.J. Dillashaw that came out of Twitch stream. Watch #TheMMAHour LIVE: https://t.co/7soW7KTArj pic.twitter.com/iG6T44Qqiy — MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 2, 2018

Chris Taylor - December 30, 2017

It appears that plans for a super fight between UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and T.J. Dillashaw are officially underway. Earlier tonight the UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson was live streaming on Twitch when a conversation between UFC executives was recorded that appears to detail promotional plans for a “Mighty Mouse” vs. Dillashaw super fight.