“I Want To See Fighters That Are Fighting” : Demetrious Johnson On Pereira vs. Aspinall
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is the greatest champion the UFC has ever seen. With a record-setting 11 consecutive title defenses, Johnson dominated the UFC flyweight division for six years, reigning from 2012 to 2018. During that time, he was the only man to ever hold the flyweight belt, setting a standard of excellence rarely matched in MMA history.
Beyond his accomplishments in the Octagon, Johnson was remarkably accessible to fans. He ran a gaming YouTube channel where he regularly interacted with viewers, including myself. Though never the most physically imposing athlete, his mastery of technique, speed, wrestling, and submissions made him a complete fighter – a true mixed martial artist in every sense.
Demetrious Johnson added to his legacy by capturing the ONE Championship belt before retiring from the sport, further cementing his status as one of the MMA’s all-time greats.
“I might do a better job than Dana White himself” – Demetrious Johnson on UFC matchmaking
In a recent UFC 320 recap with YouTuber MMA Guru, Johnson shared his thoughts on the future of Alex Pereira and the broader state of the heavyweight division. When asked about a potential matchup between Pereira and Jon Jones, Johnson responded candidly:
“I’m not excited. I’m more excited for Tom Aspinall to fight Alex Pereira. The only reason why is because these guys are fighting. They’ve been active.”
He continued, offering respectful but honest commentary on Jones:
I love Jon Jones. I see Jon Jones as a legend of the sport. He’s a GOAT, but it’s like seeing Wanderlei Silva fight. I’m tired of seeing these guys still fighting.”
Regarding Pereira’s path forward, Johnson added:
“I’d rather see Alex go to heavyweight. If his and Jon Jones’ paths cross, all good, but I just want to see guys who are actually fighting. For me, I’m not sitting around waiting for it to be announced.”
MMA Guru commented, “It’s almost like the Stipe fight itself was isolated from the rest of the sport.”
Johnson agreed, shifting the focus back to the current landscape:
“I really like the idea of Tom Aspinall—someone who’s been absolutely smashing everybody at heavyweight. Never turned down a fight. Taking on Alex Pereira, middleweight champion, two-time light heavyweight champion, knocking people out cold at 38 years old. Don’t let me start promoting fights—I might do a better job than Dana White himself.”
