Demetrious Johnson just got a fresh challenge in the UFC as current Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja throws down the gauntlet. This has now put Dana White in a tough spot given the history between him and Johnson. This challenge has come after Pantoja successfully defended his flyweight belt at UFC 303.Â
A few days after his UFC title defense, Pantoja is already looking for potential challenges. The fighter recently appeared on The MMA Hour show and talked about his intentions to fight Demetrious Johnson in the future. The Brazilian revealed his admiration towards DJ and expressed his dream to fight the former champion inside the octagon.Â
He’s the GOAT, you know? How can I not say that? I think right now, after two title defenses, I can speak a little bit about that. I think that’s a dream for me… to fight with Demetrius Johnson.
Alex Pantoja via The MMA HourÂ
Pantoja faced Steve Erceg in a five-round bout on his home turf and the pair put on a competitive showdown. While Erceg had his moments, it was Pantoja who came out victorious via unanimous decision. This has given a massive boost to the fighters’ confidence and is the major reason for him calling out such big names.
However, some fight fans and experts, including Demetrious Johnson, criticized Pantoja’s performance. Furthermore, it’s possible that the ‘Mighty Mouse’ wasn’t prepared for the Brazilian to call him out. However, UFC CEO, Dana White may not agree with the proposal, thus fight fans could not get to see the bout.
What happened between Dana White and Demetrious Johnson in the past?Â
With eleven title defenses to his credit, Demetrious Johnson is among the most accomplished fighters in UFC history. Although Johnson received numerous awards from the promotion, he left the UFC on a bitter note. It took place after his unfortunate loss against Henry Cejudo via split decision at UFC 227. The fighter got traded to ONE Championship in return for Ben Askren.Â
The bittersweet relationship between Dana White and Demetrius Johnson (via MMA Fighting)
Years after the event, DJ has often talked about what transpired behind the scenes that ultimately led to his departure. Recently in one of his YouTube videos, Johnson explained everything in detail.
I fought and fought, they specifically said we don’t give PPV points to flyweight guys.When Dana White says I didn’t want PPV points, that’s not true. I asked for PPV points.Look at CM Punk. This guy comes in and gets a base salary of $500K and PPV bonuses. I defended the f***ing belt 8 times I didn’t even get this
Demetrius Johnson via YouTube
Although Johnson still has a certain level of respect for Dana White he never liked the way the promotion treated or ignored him. The fighter left UFC and joined One Championship and became a champion there too. Given the circumstances, it’s very hard to imagine Pantoja getting a shot against Demetrious Johnson anytime soon.
!
