Top 99 Quotes & Sayings by Demetrious Johnson

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American athlete Demetrious Johnson.
Last updated on September 17, 2024.
Demetrious Johnson

Demetrious Johnson is an American mixed martial artist. He currently competes in ONE Championship. He is the inaugural and former UFC Flyweight Champion. Known for his quick striking and elusive movement, Johnson has also landed the most takedowns in UFC flyweight history and co-holds the record for the latest finish in UFC history with a submission win at 4:59 of the fifth round against Kyoji Horiguchi. He is the only UFC fighter to record over 10 takedowns in three different fights. Demetrious Johnson holds the record for most finishes in UFC flyweight history with 7. He is also the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion. He is currently ranked #1 in the ONE Championship flyweight rankings.

I do have my cheat meals. I have Oreos inside the house right now, and I have beer and fried chicken and waffles. All that good stuff. But once it comes down to when I really want to get in shape and get lean, I'll eat clean and go with whole foods.
There are things - I want to compete in a big tournament, like an eight-man tournament, like the old fighters. You're going to compete; you're going to fight this one and this one.
I'm just a small guy. — © Demetrious Johnson
I'm just a small guy.
I don't need to tell any one of you guys that I can do what I can do. I'll just show it to you guys, and if you want a little sneak peak, come watch me work out. That's how I do my thing.
I'm not in the business to get hit and take concussions.
Obviously I'd love to see Demetrious Johnson, you know, 'Demetrious Johnson $500,000 payout baby,' absolutely.
That's the beautiful thing about mixed martial arts - and I'll tell people that - you have to think outside of the box.
I worked a full-time job at a place call Caraustar. We recycle paper, then through recycled paper, we take it and we make V board out of it. If you buy a TV, a new couch, you see these little V boards that make like a V.
You're starting to see a lot of fighters, like, 'We want more money so we can be able to retire eventually,' instead of, we get to 30 years old, and we're like, 'Alright, I think Costco has openings.'
I think the only person who will ever lose in a fight and still end up making a million dollars is Conor McGregor - that's just because of how his contract is structured or whatever.
MMA has the rudest, most negative, dumbest, ignorant fans in the world - but it also has the most passionate fans in the world.
I come from one of the great coaches - Matt Hume, Brad Kertson - and my skill set is well-rounded.
I don't like to disrespect people or my opponents. Anything can happen. — © Demetrious Johnson
I don't like to disrespect people or my opponents. Anything can happen.
It's always about bringing in the numbers, the viewership. That's what gets you the money.
I don't care if my opponents are cheating or not.
If you're going to make as much money as you are, when you're fighting someone else, that's the one thing I always tell people is I would never turn down the truly rightful No. 1 contender in my division, because the UFC can actually strip you. They can say, 'You're not going to fight the No. 1 contender. We can strip you.'
I do not like getting hit. I can take a hit, but I don't want to damage my brain if I don't have to.
Look at my track record for showing up to fights. Look at my track record of finishing fights. Look at my track record of getting fight night bonuses. Ask yourself if you think that if the UFC decided to truly put marketing dollars behind me that they couldn't sell me or my fights.
'Super Contra' was the game I fell in love with. I played and beat that game with my mom.
As a fighter, I pay very close attention to the amount of marketing that goes into and around my fights, and I can tell you that you'd be hard pressed to find much that has been done to promote me outside of 'TUF 24,' which was minimal in comparison to other fights, fighters, and shows.
A lot of people misunderstand what it means to have good cardio. Good cardio is when you are able to push the fight, and I've shown that in all of my fights.
I'm very well-rounded. It's mixed martial arts.
In wrestling, when I was in high school, my coach said you should be able to hit every single move from any position. So, arm drag to double-leg, snap-down to double-leg. You should be able to hit a move from anywhere, so with my armbar, I can essentially hit it from any position because it's my favorite submission.
I don't bash my company. I don't bash my opponents. I don't miss weight.
I really, truly appreciate Conor McGregor's style - his fighting style and the way he talks. The reason why is because he reminds me of a young Mike Tyson, a young Muhammad Ali, the way he talks.
That's kind of how I see my workmanship: it's how many hours I put in that makes me better.
Pay-Per-View is run by drama. It is. It's true. I've done the research for myself. You look at Jon Jones. When Jon Jones fought Machida, probably did about $200,000, $300,000. When he fought Cormier, they made, like, $875,000.
At the end of the day, UFC is a business.
When I'm done my mixed martial arts career, the only people who are gonna remember me and respect what I did and how I lived my life are my two children. That's my legacy, ladies and gentlemen.
I would have to say fantasy RPG and MMOs are my favorite type of games. I love 'Dark Souls II.' That game is so hard and unforgiving; if you beat that game, you have true skills.
In the beginning of your mixed martial arts career, you're not making good money.
Before there was a Ronda Rousey, there was a Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg. They finally fought, and we found out who was the baddest woman on the planet, and that was Cris Cyborg. When she hits people, I'm like, 'Whoo!'
That's all I care about is being healthy.
You look into an encyclopedia and ask what fighter can do any type of martial art at a high-caliber level, my picture will show up.
I never cared who I was going to fight because, at the end of the day, it makes no difference.
I grew up with a single mom, two brothers, and a sister, and after school, we would play outside then go home for dinner and play videogames together. It's something I enjoy doing, and it's also cheap entertainment compared to a movie or paying for cable. You pay $50 one time for a game, and you can play it as many times as you want.
I always loved playing video games. It was something my mom did, and my sister played as well.
I don't have small goals; I just have goals, and it's, one, stay healthy; and two, have a very successful career. — © Demetrious Johnson
I don't have small goals; I just have goals, and it's, one, stay healthy; and two, have a very successful career.
I'm not going to go out there and have these slugfests, but I'll go out there and dominate my opponent. That's what I do in my fight.
I think the reason I'm the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is I beat everyone in my division.
That's one of the things I loved about Pride: the first round was ten minutes.
I saw Bobby Green and Lando Vannata, and everybody in the back was like, 'Oh, man, that's a sick fight!' And I'm like, 'Dude, look at his face, that cannot be good for his brain.' I'm just honest.
I'd rather have head stomps and kicks to the head on the ground rather than elbows because I think to kick someone in the head while they're laying on their back is very hard. Elbows are easy. You can be here, and I just cut you and won the fight.
For every champion, after you win the belt, you want to defend it as many times as possible.
At the end of the day, I know what my skill set and abilities are, and it's just going to take people a little while to recognize it. Whether that comes around or not, I'm not going to sit here in the corner and pout about it.
I don't care about being the champ champ. I want to be the only consecutive 12-time defending champion in any mixed martial arts promotion.
I focus on staying healthy, going to the gym, and I go out there and fight.
UFC has failed to market and promote me appropriately. — © Demetrious Johnson
UFC has failed to market and promote me appropriately.
I want the whole world to watch me fight. But you know if people are just tuning in to hear me trash talk are not fight fans.
Each time I'm training and sparring, I'm always pushing myself to submit my training partners.
When I got into this sport, I thought all I had to do was beat people and finish fights, and everything else would take care of itself.
I'm a good dad. I'm an evolved dad. You know, you see a lot of guys when they're in training camp, they go off, do their own thing. But I'm in the midst of it. Swim lessons? I'm there. Changing diapers, teething, doctor's appointments, I'm there 24/7.
At one point in time in my career, it was like, 'Oh, he never finishes nobody.' Then, the next thing you know, I'm breaking peoples' arms, making them tap out, and knocking them out. Then, the next thing you know, it's, 'Oh, I don't like his personality.' It's like, 'Okay, well, if you don't like who I am, I can't help you there, buddy.'
If you want to see great mixed martial arts, tune in when I fight. If you want to see drama and all of that stuff, you guys can go watch 'Bachelors in Paradise.' They'll give you enough drama you can want to watch.
For me, you look at the beginning of his career, the man couldn't even make weight. That's how I found out about Henry Cejudo to begin with. 'Oh, Henry Cejudo misses weight again.' I'm like, who's this guy who keeps missing weight. When the UFC signed him, I was like, 'Great, you guys signed another guy who can't make 125.'
Honestly, just all the love and respect from the fans, that's always the biggest thing that puts a smile on my face.
Honestly, I would love to fight Henry Cejudo. You've got that gold medalist in the Olympics, I would love to test myself against that.
I'm the type of fighter who has never made an excuse. I fought with a broken rib, broken leg.
If I went up there and beat T.J. Dillashaw at 135 pounds, I have no interest whatsoever in staying at 135. People are like, 'Why not?' and I'm like, 'I have no interest in fighting guys who walk around at 160 pounds.'
Yes, I'm known as the most technical fighter in the world, and I'm going to keep that as my brand.
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