You look at Dememtrious Johnson and you see a guy who you can’t believe is a fighter. At 5ft 3in and maybe weighs in at 140 pounds after he rehydrates his body for his fight, the man people call Mighty Mouse relishes in the role of the underdog.
Johnson (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) faces Dominick Cruz (18-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) for the UFC Bantamweight title this Saturday night at the UFC Live on Versus 6 card in Washington DC. A lot people were shocked that Johnson got the title opportunity. People thought he even he lost his fight against Miguel Torres at UFC 130 which Johnson won by a close decision. Johnson won the fight and if people want to complain about it that’s fine with him.
“It is what is,” Johnson told us. “I can’t persuade Miguel Torres. He believes in his skill and he believes that if you spend most of the time on your back you win fights. Time and time again you see in all UFC fights, guys who lay on there back they don”t win. Yes its part of the game, but you knoe you got to aspects of mixed martial arts that contradict each other in wrestling and brazilian ji-jitsu.”
Johnson says he sees no weaknesses in Cruz’s game, but gets into the aspect of him knowing he is the underdog heading into Saturday’s title fight.
“Dominick has no weaknesses,” says Johnson. “The one thing that I have is a lot of speed and I’m the underdog. I have nothing to lose. I’m nobody like when I beat Miguel Torres, I was nobody, everybody expected Miguel Torres to win. There is a lot of people who don’t give me a chance in this fight as well, but know obviously they are nieve. They don’t believe that anything can happen in this sport. I’ll go out there and break my leg again. I’ll use my wrestling to beat Dominick Cruz and I think I have a great chance of beating Dominick Cruz and I have a great chance of losing. I’m going out there and do my best.”
Johnson has been an underdog for all of his fighting career and embraces the role of the underdog.
“I always embrace the role,” says Johnson. “I went into the Miguel Torres fight, everybody knows Miguel Torres is Miguel Torres deja vu back. I don’t give a damn, he’s a 6,000 times Brazilian Ji-Jitsu black belt. I’m still gunna put him there, you can’t submit me. You didn’t win. It’s just like I’m the underdog and I got nothing to lose.”
Heading into what is definitely the biggest fight of his career, Johnson has a final few words for the people still doubting him heading into Saturday night.
“Come October 1st, make sure you guys watch it,”says Johnson. Anyone out there who is upset about the Miguel Torres fight, Miguel Torres too. I’m sorry the world says I don’t have a chance against Dominick. I’m hopefully going to go out there and prove all you guys wrong. If I do win, I’m going to love you and say HA, I told you.”
To listen to the entire interview, go to sportstownchicago.com.
For all the latest on UFC on Versus 6, stay tuned to MMASucka.com
