Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson has a simple – and humble – message for fans in Asia and for those who will now have to face a man widely rated as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world as he joins the One Championship promotion.
“I’m coming out there as a new athlete and I’ll have to work my way up the ladder like everybody else did,” Johnson said on Monday. “I’m not looking to go over there and cause any drama. That’s not the way of a martial artist.
“It’s a huge move. I know those guys [in One’s flyweight division] are animals and I’m looking to get in with those guys.”
Johnson – the former UFC flyweight champ – said part of the lure of signing on with One and heading to Asia was the mindset the organisation promotes.
“I was never the biggest fan of the way people went about promoting their fights in North America,” Johnson said. “I saw it as a way of bullying. I am very excited that I don’t have to go through that with One. People would say: ‘Dude, if you want to sell more tickets or get your name on the next Frosted Flakes you gotta talk more trash.’ But that’s not who I am. Martial artists don’t attack people or cause a big scene.”
Henry Cejudo ended Demetrious Johnson’s unbeaten streak in the UFC in his final fight with the organisation. Photo: AP
Advertisement
It should be one wild ride for Johnson, whose career has been forged on an almost unequalled skill set both standing and on the mat. One management have him pencilled in for a debut with the organisation early in the new year.
