Demetrious Johnson previews ONE Championship title fight and its meaning to his legacy

Demetrious Johnson soon will have the chance to add another championship belt to his collection.

The ONE Championship flyweight grand prix winner and former UFC champ challenges Adriano Moraes on April 11 for the undisputed flyweight title. It’s been almost eight years since Johnson (30-3 MMA) entered a title fight as a challenger.

Despite not having challenged a champion since his bout against Dominick Cruz at UFC on Versus 6 in 2011, Johnson doesn’t feel much different than his days as champion.

“I feel exactly the same. I don’t see myself as a challenger,” Johnson told MMA Junkie. “I see myself as just another athlete trying compete and trying to win a fight and win a world title, you know. I mean, even when I was a champion in North America, I didn’t see myself as the, I don’t know … I don’t see people as the challengers or the champion. I just see two athletes going to compete. And that’s about it.”

The title shot against Moraes comes on the heels of a successful three-fight run that had Johnson winning the ONE Championship grand prix. Johnson feels proud to have earned the title shot in the promotion, rather than have it given to him upon signing with ONE Championship due to his pedigree as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

“I’ve always believed that’s how it should be,” Johnson said. “Obviously, I think there’s a pecking order, you know. There’s guys who’ve been in the division a lot longer than I have. So the way that ONE Championship wanted me to do it was to take all the best athletes in that division: Kairat Akmetov, Danny Kingad, Tatsumitsu Wada, Yuya Wakamatsu. So they took all the best athletes in that division and put them in to determine who’s going to get the next title shot.

“Obviously, I came out victorious, so earned me a title shot instead of if I were to run my gums and bump my gums, (that) could’ve earned me a shot. Or just the pedigree I came into the organization with, how much I already accomplished could’ve warranted a title shot. But, you know, I’m not above working for a title shot. I proved myself, won three fights in a row, and I fought the No. 1 contender, Danny Kingad. He’s the only guy who’s, you know, lost to Adriano Moraes. And it’s great. Now I get a chance to fight for the world title.”

With everything Johnson has accomplished, getting a hold of a ONE Championship title would be a good way to further his historic legacy. “Mighty Mouse” is happy to get a chance to do that on April 11.

“It’s going to be another notch on the belt,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be another notch in the accolades, all of the things I’ve done in my mixed martial arts career. My goal is just go down as one of the best to ever do it in my career. You know, 15, 20 years from now, people who jump in this sport of mixed martial arts, they’re going on YouTube to type in Demetrious Johnson, mighty whiz bar. That’s what it’s about for me, to leave a name and put on great fights.”