Demetrious Johnson has been a flyweight ever since the UFC introduced a 125lbs division. But the American is so confident in his stand up skills that he would be willing to move up two divisions to challenge the best kickboxers on the planet.
Johnson has two featherweights in mind and he could not have set his sights much higher. The former UFC flyweight champion wants to face two time K-1 Max champion and ONE Championship featherweight Grand Prix winner Giorgio Petrosyan,
“I wouldn’t mind fighting Giorgio Petrosyan to see how well he manages the distance in a fight. I heard he has really good eyes,” he told ONEFC.com.
View this post on Instagram
Potential opponents
His list of potential opponents doesn’t end there. Johnson would also like to challenge reigning ONE Championship featherweight king Superbon Banchamek,
“Who else? Superbon to see how good his kickboxing is. I think Superbon’s Muay Thai is way better than his kickboxing, to be honest with you. I think he’s a Muay Thai guy.”
Superbon might have started out in Muay Thai. But since transitioning to kickboxing he has been extremely successful and is coming off wins over Marat Grigorian, Giorgio Petrosyan and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong.
この喜びのために、タフな日々を乗り越える！#ONEX での歓喜の瞬間をもう一度🤩☝️✨@MightyMouse @akiyamayoshihir #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #格闘技 pic.twitter.com/zEnkok1BHe
— ONECHAMPJP (@ONECHAMPJP) April 3, 2022
Healthy respect
While Johnson believes he would be able to move up 20lbs and beat the world’s best kickboxers at their own game he has a healthy respect for submission grapplers. The ONE Championship flyweight Grand Prix winner was not willing to even contemplate the idea of taking on Mikey Musumeci,
“I know people want me to grapple Mikey Musumeci. He will eat me up alive. Those guys live, breathe, and eat Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, right? I’ve started grappling with a gi, and I’ve just been doing pure grappling, and there are levels to it. It’s just the sheer fact.”
He is interested in training with the American, who is a similar size, but would never compete against him,
“I’m sure I’ll train with Mikey Musumeci one of these days, but we can compete if he wants. But I know how it would go. He will tear my ACL!”
View this post on Instagram
Some experience
Johnson does have some Muay Thai experience. He survived an entire three minute round with ONE Championship flyweight champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon in their mixed rules fight.
Johnson would go on to submit the Thai in the second round at ONE: ‘X’. Taking on seasoned featherweight kickboxers like Superbon and Petrosyan would be a far greater challenge but it sound like the American is up for it!
