UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey each have five successful title defenses, but ‘Mighty Mouse’ believes he’s done it more impressively.
During an appearance on ‘America’s Pregame,’ host Mike Hill asked Johnson which of the two champs has been more dominant.
“It’s hard,” said Johnson. “Ronda, she’s going out and just blowing through people, but I think you see a true champion’s caliber when he’s tested by his opponents that are put in front of him.
“My [John] Dodson fight. My second Joseph [Benavidez] fight. My [John] Moraga fight. My Ali Bagautinov fight. Those guys are studs. I’m not taking anything away from Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate, but those guys are studs. Don’t get me wrong, she goes out and destroys her opponents but I think you have to see a champion go through that hardship to see if they really have that championship caliber. She’s a champion, I’m not saying she’s not a champion, but I’m going to say it’s me, dammit.”
Booked to face Kyoji Horiguchi April 25 at UFC 186 in Montreal, Johnson believes Rousey could easily swing the advantage back her way. Unlike Johnson, Rousey has a potential matchup fans have been demanding for years.
“Before there was a Ronda Rousey there was a Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg,” said Johnson. “They finally fought and we found out who was the baddest woman on the planet and that was Cris Cyborg. When she hits people I’m like, ‘Whoo!’ I’m not going to touch her. I see her pick grown men up, I’m not gonna mess with her. That fight needs to happen if we really want to see who’s the baddest woman on the planet.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
One more. Georges St-Pierre’s former manager says the former champion is ‘going to come back for one fight.’ ‘I can’t say he’s going to come back and go on a title run and do 10 fights, but I know for sure he’s going to come back for one fight.’
The Count. Just days before his UFC 186 fight against CB Dollaway, Michael Bisping sat down with us to reflect on his memorable journey in mixed martial arts, the highs and lows, his future, and much more.
‘It’s going to be tough.’ Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva says he’s willing to get ’embarrassed’ to pursue his goal of competing in Taekwondo in the Olympics.
Hope for Jacare. UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero has opted against undergoing surgery to repair the torn right meniscus that led to his last-second dropout at UFC on FOX 15.
The itch. Tim Kennedy says he wants a ‘loser leaves town’ fight against Lyoto Machida.
MEDIA STEW
UFC 186 embedded episode 1.
Michael Graves (ATT) vs. Kamaru Usman (Blackzilians) from TUF.
Inside the Octagon with Ariel Helwani.
Michael Bisping has words for CM Punk and Dan Henderson (below)
Mixed Martial Arfs – Sarah Kaufman and Rhino.
Joe Silva and Sean Shelby talk Rampage Jackson vs. Fabio Maldonado.
Paige VanZant won’t be fighting Ronda Rousey.
Long watches.
UFC 186 Care/Don’t Care Preview
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5 Rounds Today with Mauro Ranallo, Stephane Patry – UFC on FOX 15 Recap, UFC 186 Preview
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Heavy Hands 48: Fighting in Transitions – Mighty Mouse, Holloway, Matthysse
TWEETS
Yep.
Proof I’m not going bald lol. Cut my head surfing, had to shave & glue it shut so I could train last 2 weeks of camp pic.twitter.com/qX0K8vIjxB
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) April 23, 2015
One step closer.
Made it to Canada looking like this! Haha I can’t wait to put on a great show for y’all this weekend https://t.co/kLuUw4lXtN
— Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) April 23, 2015
Beef.
I was told @Cowboycerrone see psychologist regularly. When I done with you you will need three of them @arielhelwani @danawhite
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) April 22, 2015
I know you’re still celebrating after your last victory, but just #drinkresponsibly! @seanshelby @clayguida #FightMe pic.twitter.com/VUMWi2EhEJ
— Chas Skelly (@ChasSkelly) April 22, 2015
I fought her once with a broken arm for 8 min and the other time with a torn ACL I tore a week before the fight. https://t.co/cdblNSFlSM
— heatherjoclark (@heatherjoclark) April 22, 2015
If I get the chance again I will finish her in the first round! https://t.co/cdblNSFlSM
— heatherjoclark (@heatherjoclark) April 22, 2015
Get well soon.
Putting some work on my knee rehab, keeping the fire and hungry, never rest, the belt is just the… https://t.co/pE6Ui745pF
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) April 22, 2015
#mood I’m pumped my Dr. Just let a ninja out the boot!!!!! In time to enjoy #tuf21 at @attevolution… https://t.co/AGtwADqG3Q
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) April 22, 2015
Well I’m super pumped, but still sitting from staph infection going nuts!
— Erik Jon Koch (@NEWBREED04) April 22, 2015
#tofat
#treehug #tree climb #earthday #tofat https://t.co/AIRYjDMVC3
— nick diaz (@nickdiaz209) April 23, 2015
Congrats.
Very proud to join #TeamReebok ! 😀 pic.twitter.com/a8rSPRarWk
— Olivier Aubin (@MMAOAM) April 22, 2015
Nice.
Huge THANK u to Luka Dziubyna in Berkeley,Ca. who just gave me my 1st piece of fan art! I love it! * pic.twitter.com/WzVJblizPV
— Ashlee Evans-Smith (@AshleeMMA1) April 23, 2015
Didn’t sound good.
Got to do the high cliff jump at Ricks Cafe!! Key is, don’t think about it just do it! #nofear… https://t.co/muBVJIrood
— Carla Esparza (@CarlaEsparza1) April 23, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (April 22 2015)
Paul Bradley vs. Chris Honeycutt at Bellator 140
Danny Castillo vs. Rustam Khabilov at UFC on FOX 16
Erik Koch vs. Ramsey Nijem at UFC on FOX 16
Matt Dwyer vs. Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night: Duffee vs. Mir
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via tigerlee.
The Outsiders: Top 25 HWs Outside UFC, BMMA, and WSOF – April Edition
While most of the best talent is under the UFC banner and Bellator and WSOF have seemed scooped up the rest, there is still plenty of talent yet to be signed by the top promotions of the MMA food chain. These are not necessarily ‘free agents’ or even prospects, they are top 100 ranked fighters who are navigating the nebulous seas of regional and international fight promotion for whatever reason.
Since the last edition in February most of the top half of the list appears relatively unchanged except for slight moves up or down in the overall rankings. Tony Johnson (#16) was recently signed by Bellator and proved his mettle by defeating former Bellator champ Alexander Volkov by split decision at BMMA 136. With the win Johnson was catapulted into the overall Top 20. In the previous edition he sat at #57. Denis Smoldarev made the biggest move for a non-major promotion signee by jumping up 19 spots and into the Top 50 overall after submitting Maro Perak by first round keylock at M-1 Challenge 55.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.