Taken from JRE MMA Show #131 w/Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qN8qMhKnAkZy61YbTYbYG?si=39a497d04e93476b

That right hand was so perfect too, the timing of that.

And how satisfying was that for you to come back from the first fight that you guys had?

It was good, it was good but, that guy's face on the right.

I think it's the matchmaker, Rick, he's hilarious.

For me, after the first fight I had with him, I went through, I think 2019, I think it was 2019 2020 was a huge like shift in My life, you know that affected me differently and my mindset And so when I lost that first fight to him, I was so Wasn't mad about losing.

I was mad about I put so much pressure on myself about being perfect and It just drove me insane.

So, I don't know, like, I felt like, I remember being in a hotel room, and we watched a fight, and then I felt like, it was just after, so my sister passed during, I was getting ready for a fight, right?

So I was getting ready for a fight, my sister, she died, and then seeing her pass, and then seeing basically the end game of life.

Like being there and seeing her just like, she's there, and then seeing her go through the trauma, and then her being gone, and then seeing the traumatic, how it affected my mom.

And after, I remember when everything happened, I was in the hospital and I was like, You guys need help clean up all this blood because I can I can I can help and she goes honey That's okay?

I go home, started balling, my wife's there.

I mean, that was a huge movement in my life where I was like, that's fucking end game.

Like, doesn't matter what you've done before, that's, you either go peaceful, You go, you know, dramatic, right?

And then it was pointing me, I was like, damn, like I called Matt, I was like, hey, I'm not gonna be, I was like, hey, I'm not gonna be in training today.

And I took a step back and I was like, fuck man, I'm Always training for a fight.

And my sister just died and I can't go train because I gotta go bury her.

But there was like weird shit to my mind.

I was like, I'm always getting ready for a fight.

And then I went and fought, won the world grand prix.

Fast forward, get ready to fight Adriano.

And then I fight Adriano and I was, the game plan was there, but I just felt like I wasn't, Matt even said, after I came back from the knockout, he was like, you know, when you left, I wasn't comfortable where

I was like, you're just gonna have to fight through this.

You're gonna have to just get through it.

And then sitting in the hotel room, and I was like, why am I putting the stress on myself?

And then, that was like, kind of like a snapping period.

Then when I fought Rod Tang, I was like everybody's so worried about winning and losing why Why?

So why the fuck do you worry about winning or losing?

You know, I said, I told Matt, I was like, I'm not gonna fucking run.

Like, I don't care if he has a hard chance.

I'm gonna go out there and give him my best and then there's a ASAP Rocky said when has it ever been cool to knock Somebody down.

It's never been Cool, whoever made it cool to do belittle somebody or whatever is not cool, right?

So that's always in back of my head So when I fought rotting and then I I felt that success not success but I felt like I won the fight and everyone was like, oh, you did a good job.

You know, go back home, take care of the wife and kids.

And then when I fought Adrian on the second time, I was like, we do the training camp.

It was probably the toughest training camp, but I started doing things different, right?

Like before I'd be like, I gotta be perfect, I can't have any beer, I can't go watch a concert, I gotta be strict, and I was like, I think the last sparring session after the Adrian fight, I was like, went to a concert, had 2 beers, had a fucking chicken sandwich, and I'm like, I need to enjoy my life, because eventually I'm going to die, right?

I was like man I was so strict and all that stuff like I want to enjoy my life.

And so that right there from that traumatic thing in my life It's just shifting my my whole perspective like on my birthday August 13 I was my wife was like, oh we didn't get you any alcohol We just got you know all water and I was like no give me a fucking glass of champagne Like I'm 30 I'm 36 years old like I've been doing this for fucking if I if I train 8 weeks and I can have 1 fucking beer and It's gonna change my outcome of winning this fight, then I don't deserve to win the fight I guess so it is what it is So I feel like that and that whole mindset is just Made me a better a better athlete better fighter

because it's released some pressure from you

put pressure of being perfect Right, and that's how it is Like I remember 1 day I was like I just grappled that new wave right and I was grappling a kid who was 18 years old and he was fucking working me and Someone who has an ego who like I'm the best fighter in the world.

Good job I'm so excited to see I'm so excited to see what you've been able to achieve in the 9 years You've been grappling under John Donahan.

I want to follow you I'm gonna follow your career right like just my whole mindset has just shifted.

But for me, that's how I like to look at my fights now.

He was talking about fighting and winning.

He's like, so many people put so much pressure on winning.

He goes, you're trying to win, and if you lose, the same people who love you, they're still gonna love you, you're still gonna have your friends.

Yeah, and that's like taking my game to a whole new level.

Believe that, like just that mindset of just like, I don't give a fuck what happens.

Doesn't change my pay, doesn't change my outlook on life, doesn't change me from my end game, which is financial freedom, right?

So, I don't care who it is, you know, when it is, I just wanna make sure that I never lose focus of my end game.


Speaker 0: The Jirogan experience.

Speaker 1: That right hand was so perfect too, the timing of that.

Speaker 2: And that knee on the fucking cheekbone.

Speaker 0: Yeah. It was a good fight. It was

Speaker 2: a beautiful fight. And how satisfying was that for you to come back from the first fight that you guys had?

Speaker 0: It was good, it was good but, that guy's face on the right. I think it's the matchmaker, Rick, he's hilarious. For me, after the first fight I had with him, I went through, I think 2019, I think it was 2019 2020 was a huge like shift in My life, you know that affected me differently and my mindset And so when I lost that first fight to him, I was so Wasn't mad about losing. I was mad about I put so much pressure on myself about being perfect and It just drove me insane. Like everything I want to do is perfect.

I still had that in me, but... In what way? What do you mean? So, I don't know, like, I felt like, I remember being in a hotel room, and we watched a fight, and then I felt like, it was just after, so my sister passed during, I was getting ready for a fight, right?

Speaker 3: This is

Speaker 0: where it kind of

Speaker 3: stemmed from. So I was getting ready for a fight.

Speaker 0: This is where it kind of stemmed from. So I was getting ready for a fight, my sister, she died, and then seeing her pass, and then seeing basically the end game of life. Like being there and seeing her just like, she's there, and then seeing her go through the trauma, and then her being gone, and then seeing the traumatic, how it affected my mom. And after, I remember when everything happened, I was in the hospital and I was like, You guys need help clean up all this blood because I can I can I can help and she goes honey That's okay? Just just go home.

I was like All right, mom. I love you. Let me know if you need me. I go home, started balling, my wife's there. I mean, that was a huge movement in my life where I was like, that's fucking end game.

Like, doesn't matter what you've done before, that's, you either go peaceful, You go, you know, dramatic, right? So that happened. And then it was pointing me, I was like, damn, like I called Matt, I was like, hey, I'm not gonna be, I was like, hey, I'm not gonna be in training today. I gotta go bury my sister, right? And I took a step back and I was like, fuck man, I'm Always training for a fight.

Always training for a fight. And my sister just died and I can't go train because I gotta go bury her. But there was like weird shit to my mind. I was like, I'm always getting ready for a fight. Always getting ready for a fight.

And then I went and fought, won the world grand prix. Fast forward, get ready to fight Adriano. We go through COVID-19, right? All the gyms are shut down. Our gym kind of like, we got relocated.

So there's only 3 of us training. And then I fight Adriano and I was, the game plan was there, but I just felt like I wasn't, Matt even said, after I came back from the knockout, he was like, you know, when you left, I wasn't comfortable where

Speaker 3: you were at. Like, when you left,

Speaker 0: I was like, you're just gonna have to fight through this. You're gonna have to just get through it. And then sitting in the hotel room, and I was like, why am I putting the stress on myself? Why? For what?

And then, that was like, kind of like a snapping period. Then when I fought Rod Tang, I was like everybody's so worried about winning and losing why Why?

Speaker 1: Because you're gonna die someday.

Speaker 0: You're gonna die someday. Right. So why the fuck do you worry about winning or losing? Are you having fun? Yeah, okay, perfect.

Who cares if you win or lose? So I went there and fought him. I was like, all right. You know, I said, I told Matt, I was like, I'm not gonna fucking run. Like, I'm gonna exchange.

Like, I don't care if he has a hard chance. I'm gonna go out there and give him my best and then there's a ASAP Rocky said when has it ever been cool to knock Somebody down. It's never been Cool, whoever made it cool to do belittle somebody or whatever is not cool, right? So that's always in back of my head So when I fought rotting and then I I felt that success not success but I felt like I won the fight and everyone was like, oh, you did a good job. I was like, thanks man, appreciate it.

You know, go back home, take care of the wife and kids. And then when I fought Adrian on the second time, I was like, we do the training camp. It was probably the toughest training camp, but I started doing things different, right? Like before I'd be like, I gotta be perfect, I can't have any beer, I can't go watch a concert, I gotta be strict, and I was like, I think the last sparring session after the Adrian fight, I was like, went to a concert, had 2 beers, had a fucking chicken sandwich, and I'm like, I need to enjoy my life, because eventually I'm going to die, right? And I don't want to be my deathbed.

I was like man I was so strict and all that stuff like I want to enjoy my life. And so that right there from that traumatic thing in my life It's just shifting my my whole perspective like on my birthday August 13 I was my wife was like, oh we didn't get you any alcohol We just got you know all water and I was like no give me a fucking glass of champagne Like I'm 30 I'm 36 years old like I've been doing this for fucking if I if I train 8 weeks and I can have 1 fucking beer and It's gonna change my outcome of winning this fight, then I don't deserve to win the fight I guess so it is what it is So I feel like that and that whole mindset is just Made me a better a better athlete better fighter

Speaker 2: because it's released some pressure from you

Speaker 0: put pressure of being perfect Right, and that's how it is Like I remember 1 day I was like I just grappled that new wave right and I was grappling a kid who was 18 years old and he was fucking working me and Someone who has an ego who like I'm the best fighter in the world. Like that should never happen for me. I'm like, dude, you're fucking good. Good job I'm so excited to see I'm so excited to see what you've been able to achieve in the 9 years You've been grappling under John Donahan. Like I'm so happy for you.

So proud of you. I want to follow you I'm gonna follow your career right like just my whole mindset has just shifted. And yeah, I don't know what it is. I mean, I know what it is, it's that. But for me, that's how I like to look at my fights now.

And yeah, it's been making me.

Speaker 1: Randy Couture said that once to me.

Speaker 2: Yeah. He was talking about fighting and winning. He's like, so many people put so much pressure on winning. He's like, he goes, you do your best. He goes, you're trying to win, and if you lose, the same people who love you, they're still gonna love you, you're still gonna have your friends.

You're gonna be okay.

Speaker 0: Yeah, and that's like taking my game to a whole new level.

Speaker 3: Like I truly believe that. But I believe that.

Speaker 0: Believe that, like just that mindset of just like, I don't give a fuck what happens. Like they're like, who you gonna fight? Yeah, so I'm like, I don't care. Doesn't change my pay, doesn't change my outlook on life, doesn't change me from my end game, which is financial freedom, right? So, I don't care who it is, you know, when it is, I just wanna make sure that I never lose focus of my end game.

And yeah, that's helped me a lot.

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Demetrious Johnson on Letting Go of Trying to Be Perfect