Demetrious Johnson is all business for UFC 191

Fight week has arrived and for UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Saturday will be another day at the office as he defends his title versus John Dodson in the UFC 191 main event.

UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson
c/o Gabriela Ochoa

This will be the second time the two meet in the octagon but since winning a unanimous decision over Dodson, both fighters have grown and improved their skills. This is something the Johnson acknowledges as he explains the type of fighters they are.

“The way he goes upon his business he always tries to knock you out. As where I take a different approach. We have different ways we approach fights and his is always the same but there’s nothing wrong with it because he gets the job done,” said Johnson.

Every champion is confident in the ability and see victory ahead of them but Johnson keeps things in perspective about his title defense.

“I didn’t come to LA and I’m not going to Vegas to f—ing lose. I’m also a realist, things can happen and you never know,” said Johnson.

When asked if he believes his opponent Dodson deserved to win his last fight versus Zach Makovsky which earned him a title shot, the champion doesn’t hold back his thoughts.

“Of course it’s a competition and you don’t want to lose half your pay with a loss but c’mon, this is also a fight. I have 25 minutes and I’m done. I have to work hard and when I see that fight I didn’t see that,” said Johnson.

The champion has been accused of not being an exciting champion but this may be attributed to the fact that he doesn’t trash talk or create drama outside the octagon. What he does do is find ways to defeat his opponents and never stops trying to finish a fight. This has been evident in four or his last five fights where he has kept his opponents from going the distance.

c/o Gabriela Ochoa

“My coaches always say whatever your opponent do, you have to make them feel like they’re doing something wrong. If you shoot and you defend my shot, you’re going to pay a price for it. I get you in the clinch and you put your head out, you’re going to pay a price for it. That’s how we train at AMC,” said Johnson.

With all the talk of the Reebok sponsorship deal the champion was asked for his thoughts on how that has affected him personally. He was previously sponsored by X-Box but explains that everything isn’t so cut and dry.

“All the sponsors out there are looking for that prime time spot. That’s what they’re looking for and paying for. Whoever is out there are looking for that prime time spot. Of course they need you outside the octagon but they’re going to make their bulk money inside the octagon because that’s where they get the most viewers,” said Johnson.

c/o Gabriela Ochoa

So while he has since lost his X-Box deal, he seems to be content with the structure of the Reebok deal because he knows how much money he is guaranteed per fight as a champion.

“While I had that deal, I still had to negotiate parts of it. Is the fight on pay-per-view or Fox? Believe it or not, X-Box loved it more when I was on Fox than if I was on pay-per-view because there is more viewers and a bigger platform,” said Johnson.

All that said the feeling of knowing the money promised will be paid gives the fighter peace of mind. This is quite the contrast from issues in the past where some fighters complained of sponsors that wouldn’t pay them.

Regardless now I’m getting 40 g’s, no ifs, ands or buts because I’m the champ. It’s legitimate because you would hear in the past how fighters would say I didn’t get paid from my sponsor,” said Johnson.

The only thing he has to worry about now is his opponent in Dodson who Saturday night will try to knock him out after talking a good game leading into this promotion.

“You can talk all you want because at the end of the day we still have to fight and I will deal with it then. I never fight out of emotion because emotions don’t do any good for me. Like I said, me and him will fight Saturday night and whether I win or lose I’ll go home and see my family and sit down with you folks again and talk about the next person,” said Johnson.