Most MMA fans are passionate about the sport and are quick to express their opinions of fighters they like. By the same token, many of them are also critical of fighters they do not appreciate, and hold nothing back when pointing out what they perceive to be flaws. The best example of this negativity is that which is projected toward UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, who is undoubtedly the most underappreciated fighter in the game.
Demetrious is continually disrespected by many fans who apparently do not appreciate or understand the technical mastery that he brings to the table. His fighting style is about as pure as true mixed-martial arts gets, with every aspect of the game being put on display in his fights like fine art in a museum. It must be an acquired taste, because Johnson is unjustly labeled as “boring” by those who cannot recognize his magnificence.
From spinning back elbows and Superman punches to question mark kicks and flying knees, “Mighty Mouse” can do it all. His wrestling is superb as well, and he is the only UFC fighter ever to score more than 10 takedowns in three different fights. Furthermore, his speed and conditioning are second to none.
Unfortunately, much like former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious has been criticized for going the distance and winning on points in a number of his fights. But as GSP has stated several times in the past, it is difficult to finish your opponents when everyone you fight is an elite contender in the top MMA organization in the world.
However, it’s not as if Johnson doesn’t try to finish. In fact, the reigning champion is always looking to do so, even when he is far ahead on the judges’ scorecards. While some fighters will play it safe when they know they are winning, “Mighty Mouse” never stops coming at his opponent. He throws himself in the fire with the risk of getting knocked out because he is determined to get a KO or submission of his own.
This fearless mindset and desire to stop his opponents was most evident in his championship battles with John Moraga and Kyoji Horiguchi. Demetrious was well ahead of them on points and could have easily coasted to a decision win, yet he continued to move forward and seek out a finish to put the stamp on his performance. He was successful in these attempts, and he even broke the record for the latest stoppage in a fight after his armbar victory over Horiguchi with just one second left in the final round.
Johnson has finished his opponent in four of his seven title defenses. More than half of his 23 wins have come by way of knockout or submission, so to claim that he cannot finish fights is simply ignorant and false. His persistence and constant pressure have earned him plenty of stoppage victories.
What’s more, “Mighty Mouse” has nine submission wins on his professional record, but he is only a white belt in jiu-jitsu! This astonishing fact is hard to believe, especially when you look at the variety of submission holds his opponents have succumbed to: kimura, rear naked choke, armbar, and even a keylock. He appears to be well-versed in jiu-jitsu despite never surpassing white belt status, and his true potential once he becomes a black belt is difficult to fathom.
Demetrious has also achieved two Fight of the Night awards and three Performance of the Night bonuses (formerly known as KO and Submission of the Night) under the Zuffa banner. These are impressive feats when you consider the fact that Johnson has been fighting the best flyweights in the world on a regular basis.
And he is certainly fighting the best. Some fans are claiming that the flyweight division as a whole is “thin”, as if each contender is not among the elite. This is absolute nonsense. Every weight class in the UFC is stacked with the best possible talent available, and the 125-pound division is no different.
It is a similar situation when people talk about the women’s bantamweight division, with Ronda Rousey making her opponents look like they don’t belong in the Octagon. When you have a champion that is lightyears ahead of everyone else in the division, it can seem like the contenders are not worthy of their rank. Like Rousey, “Mighty Mouse” is just so much better than his title challengers, who have amassed a combined record of 33-6 in other UFC competitions.
Demetrious recently racked up his seventh straight title defense during Labor Day Weekend, a fitting time for perhaps the hardest working champion in the industry. He is now tied with UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo for most title defenses, only trailing behind arguably the three greatest fighters of all time in Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva.
In addition to being one of the most dominant UFC champions in history, Johnson is also humble and respectful with a naturally friendly personality. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not when the cameras are rolling, like some fighters have been known to do. What you see is what you get, and the MMA community should be more thankful for such an honest and straightforward approach.
“Mighty Mouse” is not afraid to speak up when the negativity becomes overbearing, which he made clear when he lashed out at fans who booed him during his phenomenal performances. Whether you’re rooting for the opposition or you just fail to understand or appreciate the technical aspect of the fight game, it is disrespectful to jeer a fighter who is putting his/her well-being on the line to entertain you.
Demetrious must just be ahead of his time, like some futuristic specimen sent to the past to foretell what kind of awe-inspiring talent is coming. He is a one-of-a-kind professional athlete who defies the imagination and evolves with each consecutive bout. I for one get excited to watch Johnson fight, because I understand and admire how truly great he is – inside the cage and out.
Johnson is the “Lord of the Flies”, the inaugural and perennial King of the Flyweights. So show him some respect and appreciation, because like so many legends before him, the MMA world will miss “Mighty Mouse” when he is gone.
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