Demetrious Johnson Explains How To Be A Safe & Successful MMA Fighter
UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson recently appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and during that interview, Johnson explained that there’s not enough money in the world for him to risk damage to his brain.
“There’s not enough money in the world for me to risk my brain damage,” Johnson said. “I know I’m fighting right now, and people are like, ‘Well why the f-ck are you fighting (then)?’ That’s why Matt Hume will look at me (and tell me to be smart).”
Johnson said that his first fight with Ian McCall, which was a brawl for all, changed the way he fights.
“One time I just brawled it out and said, ‘I’m going to just f-cking go, let my hands go and take shots and give shots.’ I had f-cking vertigo (after) and was like, ‘What the f-ck were you doing? Matt goes, ‘You’re gifted; you can switch from aspects of martial arts without missing a beat. That is your gift. Your gift is that you’re fast and not many people hit you. That’s what you have.’ “I was like, ‘F-ck, you’re right.’ And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. That’s why you have not seen me do that yet.”
After being in the sport for a good chunk of time now, Johnson knows that there is no safety net in mixed martial arts. Johnson explained that he tells kids who want to get MMA to get an education before getting the sport.
“You need a f-cking safety net in this sport,” Johnson said. “I tell all the kids who are like, ‘I want to be just like you’ to be better than me. Go to college, get an education and don’t try to put yourself in a boat to where this is all you have to do.”
You can watch the podcast here:
Johnson (23-2-1) is currently on a nine-fight winning streak. Johnson is recently coming off a win over John Dodson, which saw him retain his flyweight championship back at UFC 191. His next fight is up in the air, but a possible fight with Henry Cejudo is very likely.
It’s only a matter of time before we find out who Johson will be fighting next. Who do you want to see him fight next? Let us known in the comments.
