Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champion and current ONE Championship flyweight titleholder.
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champion and current ONE Championship flyweight titleholder. He recently shared his thoughts on a hypothetical matchup against newly crowned UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja. While the two fighters never crossed paths during Johnson’s UFC tenure. He believes that a fight against Pantoja would have posed a significant challenge.
Johnson defended his UFC flyweight title a record-breaking 11 times before losing to Henry Cejudo in 2018. He has long been regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. His dominance in the flyweight division solidified his legacy as one of the all-time greats.
In a conversation with MMA Junkie Radio, Johnson expressed his respect for Pantoja’s skill set and acknowledged that a fight between them would have been no easy task. He highlighted Pantoja’s strengths, particularly his exceptional jiu-jitsu, toughness, and knockout power. Johnson recognized that defeating Pantoja would have required him to employ his full range of skills.
“It would be very, very tough,” Johnson said. “The biggest thing I think Pantoja has is very good jiu-jitsu. He’s very tough. He’s got a great chin. I think I would have to use all my skill set to beat him at that time when I was in the UFC. But he’s well-rounded, he hits hard, he’s dropped people, he’s knocked people out – it would have been a great fight.”
Johnson’s insights shed light on the potential challenges he would have faced in a matchup against Pantoja. Johnson’s exceptional grappling and striking abilities combined with Pantoja’s well-rounded skill set. It would have likely created an intriguing stylistic clash.
Despite never competing against Pantoja, Johnson expressed his happiness for the Brazilian fighter’s success. Pantoja recently captured the UFC flyweight title by defeating Brandon Moreno. He became the fourth fighter to claim the gold since Johnson’s reign.
“I’m always happy that any athlete succeeds – especially Pantoja,” Johnson said. “I’ve always felt Pantoja was the dark horse in the division. A lot of times, not the best athlete gets the opportunity to shine under the big lights or under the big stage, and I was very happy for Pantoja.”
Johnson’s gracious attitude towards Pantoja’s accomplishments reflects the camaraderie and respect that often exist within the mixed martial arts community. While a bout between Johnson and Pantoja never materialized. Johnson’s comments provide fans with a glimpse into the potential challenges and dynamics of such a matchup.
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