Taken from JRE MMA Show #131 w/Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qN8qMhKnAkZy61YbTYbYG?si=d352c5d82cd341d2

So this Rod Tang fight, 1 of the things that's very interesting about 1FC is how they're just really mixing everything up.

They've got grappling matches, you know, Mikey Musumechi's over there competing, Gary Tonin, the Rotolo brothers.

It's like, it's very wild what they're doing.

They have a Muay Thai matches kickboxing matches

Yeah, we got 1 boxing match which was for a WBC title.

So oh, yeah, it was Boxing gloves boxing gloves full-blown boxing Like it was a world a world title fight That's 1 of things I love about 1 championship is that they're mixing it up, right?

So when I got the opportunity to go over there and compete Like I knew I had the opportunity to do something fun Like I did with rotting

right now was it difficult to make that decision to leave the UFC?

Because you were coming off of a very close, controversial loss to Henry Cejudo.

Yeah, It was a couple takedowns, and I think I relied too much on a late kicks like I like in that fight I couldn't get him down to the ground The Shrek and seemed on the feet like with the hands it seemed like it was pretty even I was I think I outlanded Him like when you look at the strike strike copy box strike numbers But I felt like I relied too much in the late kicks because I was I was fucking tearing those legs up

Well, you hurt his leg real bad in that first round.

yeah, he had the drop thing going on, but I was like I couldn't get there with the hands, right?

I couldn't knock out the hand So I was like, you know, I'm gonna tear your I'm gonna take your leg up.

Kept on tearing the leg up and when the fight ended and I was like Ah, he probably got it.

I was like he beat me and then they read the scorecard and I was like Huh, it is what it is.

But then you know at the time I was like, I wonder if I can do something different Right because I was going in the back and at the time Maki Maki was in Managing me.

He still is first time managing is and I was like, he's

You know, you said me no and we'll figure it out And I was like, I wonder if I get out of my contract.

I was like, you know, try to do something different.

If I were to fight Henry Cedeno again for the third time, it could have gone either 2 ways.

1, I beat Henry, then I'm still stuck in the same situation I am right now when at the time they're trying to get rid of, they're in talks about getting rid of the Flyweight division.

Or 2, if I lose to Henry, then I'm still stuck in the same position, I just lost to him again.

So why not see if I can go explore other options, right?

And then that's when the trade talks came about.

And so the UFC just said, fine, go ahead?

I mean, obviously, you know, Chacha just, you know, talked about it.

It was, I heard you had something to do with it as well.

So Obviously, you know they want it been asking has been wanting to fight in UFC for a long time right and then so 1 championship and UFC we're talking back and forth between Hunter and Matt Hume and Maki sir like hey, let's do a trade right like we'll give you been asking for Demetrius Johnson and then at 1 point I heard that you know Dana was like no I don't I don't I don't want to make that happen right.

I don't know the full I'm not in the room where all the Puzzle pieces are being shifted and then I was hanging out somewhere and then somebody said, you know Joe Rogan had a piece in and I was like really he goes Yeah, and I was told that You kind of convinced and I'm like who gets a shit like just get get been asked or something like that.

Yeah, I know right so that's not really No, I definitely was trying to get them to get Ben Askerin But I was trying to get them to get Ben Askerin back when he was a bellator when he was in his prime Yeah, you know it's like listen man.

This guy is wrestle fucking everybody I want to see if he could do that to the whole division.

Like, when Ben was in his prime, when he did that to Koroskov, when he did that to Douglas Lima,

was like, you got to Understand how crazy this is that this guy can do this to everybody.

This guy is Imposing his style on these murderers.

Yeah, I mean Koroskov was a murderer and Douglas Lima is a fucking savage Yep, and he was just ragdolling these dudes and doing it weird way.

I remember he he has a funky style Yeah about doing things and I remember something he said he was training with him and he was able to twist and turn a certain way to where if a normal human being would do it, they would tear their cartilage in their ribs.

And he was able to do that and bring him back to where he was and I was like yeah, dude That's that's a freak right there.

He's always wrestled like that because he's not like a physically imposing guy I'm sure he's very strong

he's been wrestling his whole life But yeah his style Was always like this is weird style that was very difficult for people to understand So they would they would try to like do traditional shit with him and it's all sudden they'd be on their back

and He was already retired right and so that's that's what I heard and so when they were want to do that trade They're like yeah, we'll take Demetrius over Ben because Demetrius is still active, and he's still you know still I was looking myself as a workhorse right like I will you're paying me to fight.

I'm gonna fight right and so I think was a no-brainer for them and That's that's how it happened.

I definitely would have kept you in the UFC, so that's not

I mean if you look at guys like Davidson Figueredo Brandon Moreno.

the flyweight division is sort of risen up now There's there's a lot of like very interesting contenders now.

Yeah, but I don't have any say in like which what goes down Yeah, I'm not the guy Why

am I saying You're the 1 I was like we need to make this happen, okay We need make it happen like I just heard that you kind of had like some type of persuasion I guess you can say when you guys were out and about mmM But that's what I've been told like I said, I don't know the full story because I'm just an athlete I'm just hey this is what I want can you guys make it happen Then I'll let the higher-ups like Hunter Matt Hume Maki They're doing all the pieces and then you know shit, bro.

I know that could have been a fucking rumor, right?

Oh, well, there you go Don't believe it here.

I definitely was excited to see Ben Askren come over to the UFC.

But, and also as a fight fan, I was excited to see you go over to 1.

Because the same way I was excited to see Eddie Alvarez over there.

And what you're seeing now with 1FC is these world-class fucking guys.


Speaker 0: The Jirogan experience.

Speaker 1: So this Rod Tang fight, 1 of the things that's very interesting about 1FC is how they're just really mixing everything up. They've got grappling matches, you know, Mikey Musumechi's over there competing, Gary Tonin, the Rotolo brothers. It's like, it's very wild what they're doing. They have a Muay Thai matches kickboxing matches

Speaker 0: Yeah, we got 1 boxing match which was for a WBC title. So oh, yeah, it was Boxing gloves boxing gloves full-blown boxing Like it was a world a world title fight That's 1 of things I love about 1 championship is that they're mixing it up, right? So when I got the opportunity to go over there and compete Like I knew I had the opportunity to do something fun Like I did with rotting

Speaker 1: right now was it difficult to make that decision to leave the UFC? Because you were coming off of a very close, controversial loss to Henry Cejudo. Very close fight. It was mostly the wrestling. Couple takedowns that he got.

Speaker 0: Yeah, It was a couple takedowns, and I think I relied too much on a late kicks like I like in that fight I couldn't get him down to the ground The Shrek and seemed on the feet like with the hands it seemed like it was pretty even I was I think I outlanded Him like when you look at the strike strike copy box strike numbers But I felt like I relied too much in the late kicks because I was I was fucking tearing those legs up

Speaker 1: Well, you hurt his leg real bad in that first round.

Speaker 0: Yes.

Speaker 1: He got that drop foot thing Yeah,

Speaker 0: yeah, he had the drop thing going on, but I was like I couldn't get there with the hands, right? I couldn't knock out the hand So I was like, you know, I'm gonna tear your I'm gonna take your leg up. Kept on tearing the leg up and when the fight ended and I was like Ah, he probably got it. I was like he beat me and then they read the scorecard and I was like Huh, it is what it is. Like what are you gonna do?

So when I- So what

Speaker 1: was the decision after that? Like what was that like? So it was frustrating

Speaker 0: But then you know at the time I was like, I wonder if I can do something different Right because I was going in the back and at the time Maki Maki was in Managing me. He still is first time managing is and I was like, he's

Speaker 1: a you tell me to do bro

Speaker 0: You know, you said me no and we'll figure it out And I was like, I wonder if I get out of my contract. I was like, you know, try to do something different.

Speaker 1: Because at the time,

Speaker 0: I looked at it this way. If I were to fight Henry Cedeno again for the third time, it could have gone either 2 ways. 1, I beat Henry, then I'm still stuck in the same situation I am right now when at the time they're trying to get rid of, they're in talks about getting rid of the Flyweight division. Or 2, if I lose to Henry, then I'm still stuck in the same position, I just lost to him again. So why not see if I can go explore other options, right?

And then that's when the trade talks came about.

Speaker 1: And so the UFC just said, fine, go ahead?

Speaker 0: Well, there was more to it, right? I mean, obviously, you know, Chacha just, you know, talked about it. It was, I heard you had something to do with it as well. Like yeah, I did. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, I'll get to that point. So Obviously, you know they want it been asking has been wanting to fight in UFC for a long time right and then so 1 championship and UFC we're talking back and forth between Hunter and Matt Hume and Maki sir like hey, let's do a trade right like we'll give you been asking for Demetrius Johnson and then at 1 point I heard that you know Dana was like no I don't I don't I don't want to make that happen right. I don't know the full I'm not in the room where all the Puzzle pieces are being shifted and then I was hanging out somewhere and then somebody said, you know Joe Rogan had a piece in and I was like really he goes Yeah, and I was told that You kind of convinced and I'm like who gets a shit like just get get been asked or something like that. So

Speaker 1: Yeah, I know right so that's not really No, I definitely was trying to get them to get Ben Askerin But I was trying to get them to get Ben Askerin back when he was a bellator when he was in his prime Yeah, you know it's like listen man. This guy is wrestle fucking everybody I want to see if he could do that to the whole division. Like, when Ben was in his prime, when he did that to Koroskov, when he did that to Douglas Lima,

Speaker 0: I

Speaker 1: was like, you got to Understand how crazy this is that this guy can do this to everybody.

Speaker 0: Yeah, you

Speaker 1: know people say oh, it's boring. It's boring No,

Speaker 0: no, no, no, no,

Speaker 1: no, no, it's fighting.

Speaker 0: Yep.

Speaker 1: This guy is Imposing his style on these murderers. Yeah, I mean Koroskov was a murderer and Douglas Lima is a fucking savage Yep, and he was just ragdolling these dudes and doing it weird way.

Speaker 0: I remember he he has a funky style Yeah about doing things and I remember something he said he was training with him and he was able to twist and turn a certain way to where if a normal human being would do it, they would tear their cartilage in their ribs. And he was able to do that and bring him back to where he was and I was like yeah, dude That's that's a freak right there.

Speaker 1: Well. He's always wrestled like that because he's not like a physically imposing guy I'm sure he's very strong

Speaker 0: because

Speaker 1: he's been wrestling his whole life But yeah his style Was always like this is weird style that was very difficult for people to understand So they would they would try to like do traditional shit with him and it's all sudden they'd be on their back

Speaker 0: Yeah, it just didn't work

Speaker 1: by time. We got him though. He was already fucked up. Yeah Needed a hip replacement

Speaker 0: and He was already retired right and so that's that's what I heard and so when they were want to do that trade They're like yeah, we'll take Demetrius over Ben because Demetrius is still active, and he's still you know still I was looking myself as a workhorse right like I will you're paying me to fight. I'm gonna fight right and so I think was a no-brainer for them and That's that's how it happened.

Speaker 1: Well. I definitely would have kept you in the UFC, so that's not

Speaker 0: I'm sorry sweetheart

Speaker 1: I mean if you look at guys like Davidson Figueredo Brandon Moreno. There's some amazing fights for you

Speaker 0: Yeah, absolutely

Speaker 1: the flyweight division is sort of risen up now There's there's a lot of like very interesting contenders now. Yeah, but I don't have any say in like which what goes down Yeah, I'm not the guy Why

Speaker 0: am I saying You're the 1 I was like we need to make this happen, okay We need make it happen like I just heard that you kind of had like some type of persuasion I guess you can say when you guys were out and about mmM But that's what I've been told like I said, I don't know the full story because I'm just an athlete I'm just hey this is what I want can you guys make it happen Then I'll let the higher-ups like Hunter Matt Hume Maki They're doing all the pieces and then you know shit, bro. I know that could have been a fucking rumor, right?

Speaker 1: So it's definitely a rumor. Oh, well, there you go Don't believe it here. I definitely was excited to see Ben Askren come over to the UFC. But, and also as a fight fan, I was excited to see you go over to 1. Yeah.

Because the same way I was excited to see Eddie Alvarez over there. And I think we need more events. More competition is good.

Speaker 0: 1000%. It's good

Speaker 1: for everybody.

Speaker 0: Absolutely.

Speaker 1: And what you're seeing now with 1FC is these world-class fucking guys.

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Why Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson Left the UFC