To say that UFC President Dana White was impressed with Demetrious Johnson’s performance at UFC on FOX 24 this past weekend is quite the understatement. So enthralled by the flyweight champion’s dominance during his fight against No. 3-ranked contender Wilson Reis at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO, White beamed to reporters at the post-fight press conference that Johnson is truly something special.
“First of all, he looked incredible on his feet, and the punch stat numbers are ridiculous, right? Then he goes to the ground and is absolutely dominating, and then goes for the most dangerous move you can try and pull off, an armbar. And not only pulling off an armbar when you’re dominating like that, but doing it against a Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion. The guy’s an absolute freak of nature,” stated White.
Johnson beat Reis on the feet and the ground, ultimately defending his belt in spectacular fashion in the third round with a fight-finishing, arm bar. It was the champ’s 10th title defense, further cementing his place among the all-time MMA greats. The latest win puts him in a tie with former middleweight champ Anderson Silva for the most consecutive UFC title defenses.
“Listen, he’s got one more fight, and if he breaks Anderson Silva’s record? Listen, he’s already the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and he strives to be better each time, and he gets better each time, literally destroying people,” White said during the press conference. “This kid could be considered the GOAT right now. Or, to give Anderson Silva the true respect, wait until he actually breaks the record and it’s hard not to call this guy the greatest of all time.”
So what’s next for the man they call ‘Mighty Mouse’? — the bantamweight title, if Johnson is up for doing battle with the winner of Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw. Never one to back down from a challenge, we expect to see Johnson in the octagon soon again, taking his fight game to the next level.
