Demetrious Johnson’s list of accomplishments speaks for itself.
He’s the only flyweight champion in the history of the UFC. He’s defended his title 10 consecutive times. He’s currently ranked as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and he’s run through the entire flyweight division while making it lookexceptionally easy. He also seems to be the picture of the evolution of MMA, becoming more well-rounded and dominant every time he dispatches another world-class foe.
Despite this impressive resume, Johnson is also the most under appreciated champion on the UFC’s roster. Many feel that is his own fault, as he’s often criticized for his lack of self-promotion, which has translated into him being much less of a draw than his level of talent suggests he should be.
This idea has perhaps never been more apparent than it is before Johnson’s latest upcoming fight, a title defense against Ray Borg in the main event UFC 215 this weekend (Sept. 9, 2017) from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. If he comes out on top, “Mighty Mouse” will hold the all-time record for most consecutive title defenses by surpassing the legendary Anderson Silva’s 10, a record which he now shares with “The Spider.”
In other words, Johnson is preparing to break a major record in sports, one many expect him to break, and arguably the toughest one to win in all of MMA, but yet few seem to care about. Johnson’s lack of transcendence amongst not only the MMA community but also the mainstream media community can be attributed to various reasons.
In truth, the flyweight division has never been regarded as the most exciting by fans, and many have criticized Johnson’s list of opponents, or rather the lack of competition his division presents. His lack of self-promotion and reluctance to move up in weight hasn’t always sat well with fans, even if it’s not up to them, either. At the end of the day, however, Johnson ultimately deserves our respect and attention.
With Jon Jones once again derailing himself(at least potentially based on his USADA hearing), “Mighty Mouse” is without question the best active fighter on the planet. He hasn’t lost since he faced all-time legendary bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in 2011, and six of his 10 title defenses have ended by way of stoppage.
Perhaps “Mighty Mouse” will receive the credit he deserves once he hangs up his gloves for good, and the MMA community realizes what was right in front of our faces.
Luckily, there’s still time left.
Yes, Johnson may not be doing himself any favors by openly admitting he’s not going to be a trash talk-spouting self-promoter, and few fighters are Conor McGregor, even if his over-the-top style is understandably the gameplan for MMA fighters these days. He wants to fight and be the best without much extracurricular fanfare, and while that’s most certainly a stance that limits your earning potential as a fight sports athlete, you simply can’t deny “Mighty Mouse’s” dominance in the octagon.
So with many fans asking each other how much they really care about “Mighty Mouse’s” record, the answer is you should. Without a shadow of a doubt. There’s still time to enjoy the work of this world-class, elite-level fighter, who may just the greatest ever, in the prime of his career, and I suggest you do just that this weekend. Even if you just can’t seem to shake that McGregor hangover.
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