Mighty Mouse well on his way to greatness
Yet the attention doled out to longtime flyweight champion Johnson has been less than he deserves
Demetrious Johnson doesn’t really care about his legacy.
That’s not hyperbole; he told me as much when asked Wednesday if he reflects on the legacy he is building within the sport.
“The only time my legacy comes to my mind is when someone asks me about it,” he said. “I have nothing to say about it. If I leave my name and legacy, perfect. And if I don’t, oh well — life will go on.”
That quote is the epitome of who Johnson is. He’s not concerned with how everyone else sees him, the things they say on Twitter or where they place him in the pantheon of all-time greats.
But just because he is not concerned about his legacy doesn’t mean that what he’s doing isn’t special and shouldn’t be given greater attention.
Johnson, the first and only champion in the history of the UFC flyweight division, has won 10 consecutive fights inside the Octagon, which is something only Anderson Silva (16), Jon Jones (13), Georges St-Pierre (12) and Royce Gracie (11) have done. He has successfully defended the flyweight title eight times and will look to make it nine when he squares off with The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 winner Tim Elliott Saturday in Las Vegas. Only Silva (10) and St-Pierre (nine) have successfully defended their belts more times than “Mighty Mouse” with Jones having reached eight straight title defences before being stripped of the light-heavyweight title in 2015.
Johnson has beaten challengers currently ranked first (twice), second, third, sixth, eighth and ninth in the division and defeated the 10th-ranked bantamweight John Dodson twice. He’s 12-1-1 in the UFC with his lone loss coming against current bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in October 2011, prior to the advent of the flyweight division.
He’s the most complete fighter in the sport today — a tireless worker who has no discernible flaws. He has proven previous criticisms (that he “never finishes fights”) false and just conducted a master class in clinch fighting in April when he stopped previously unbeaten challenger Henry Cejudo in less than three minutes.
Johnson may not be fussed either way, but he’s in the midst of a historical run of success and it should be recognized and discussed far more than it is right now.
I’m not saying Johnson has to be your favourite fighter and you should be counting down the hours and minutes until he fights this weekend (like I am), but his accomplishments and the historical significance of what he’s doing also shouldn’t be a footnote in a story about why he’s not a pay-per-view draw or “below the fold” on websites where Conor McGregor being granted a boxing licence leads the way.
When Silva was rattling off title defences at middleweight, each successive victory was celebrated. As was McGregor’s quest to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and rightfully so, but that same recognition and coverage needs to be extended to Johnson because what he’s doing is equally impressive.
Greatness has to be discussed and championed, even when the one doing the great things just wants to keep it moving.
E. Spencer Kyte covers MMA for The Province and hosts the Keyboard Kimura Podcast. Follow him on social media (@ spencerkyte) and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.