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Joe Rogan lauds Demetrious Johnson

Writer's picture: Mark MywordMark Myword


When asked regarding the top five UFC fighters of all time in an interview with GQ, UFC president Dana White added his opinion. There are many people who would be genuine shouts, but the man in charge of the promotion is likely the one who should be taken seriously.


"Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, GSP (Georges St-Pierre)," White said to GQ.


"There are so many other people that should be there, Usman should be there. Regardless of what you think about Jon, it's hard not to call him the GOAT."





Regardless of not making the list of Dana White's top 5 fighters of all time, Demetrious Johnson remains one of the decorated fighters. Mighty Mouse may not receive enough recognition from the UFC for being one of the greatest fighters in the history of the organization, but Joe Rogan does.


In their rematch at ONE on Prime Video 1 last month, Johnson (31-4-1), a former longtime UFC flyweight champion, defeated Adriano Moraes with a walk-off flying knee to win the ONE Championship 135-pound championship in Singapore. It was a knockout that may have won Knockout of the Year, and for Rogan, it served as a reminder of Johnson's significance in history.


Talking on his podcast ‘’The Joe Rogan Experience’’ with the guest Kamaru Usman, he quoted:


“He is one of the greatest of all time,”


“That guy is so f*cking talented. So talented. And the way he set that knee up, the way he hits him with the right hand and is like a boss – not yet, not yet, BOOM. Lands it perfectly. … He just knew just by the impact, ‘No way he’s getting out of that one.'”


With an outstanding armbar submission of Ray Borg in October 2017, Johnson broke Anderson Silva's record for the most straight championship defenses in the UFC. After defeating Joseph Benavidez in September 2012, Johnson held the inaugural UFC 125-pound championship until he was forced to fight in a rematch with Henry Cejudo in August 2018. He lost to Cejudo this time on a controversial split decision.


In an unusual exchange between major MMA organizations, the UFC transferred Johnson to ONE Championship for Ben Askren two months later. Johnson’s dominance in the division, which was less liked since it made the division "boring" and Dana White’s public discussion about shutting the division made Johnson move on to a new chapter. It caused friction between Johnson and White which eventually resulted in the UFC getting rid of Mighty Mouse.


Rogan criticized the UFC's decision to devalue Johnson's brilliance. He claimed:


“They don’t talk about him. They don’t bring him up,” Rogan said. “It’s just really weird like the UFC doesn’t promote him anymore now that he’s gone and goes to another organization. When they play The Who (inside arenas), they have that music, and they have the compilation, how the f*ck do you not have ‘Mighty Mouse’ in that?”


Johnson appears to be a lock for the UFC Hall of Fame given his achievements. But in Rogan's opinion, he already should have been recognized. Rogan won't be happy if politics surrounding Johnson's participation in another organization prevents him from being inducted.


“I don’t get any of that,” Rogan said. “In my world, that doesn’t make any sense. Gotta recognize that. Guy is one of the greatest champions ever.”



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