Demetrious Johnson may have one of the most underrated résumés in MMA. For instance, even when he picks up a victory over a definitive high-caliber opponent, i.e. Kyoji Horiguchi and Henry Cejudo, those victories are minimized as those fighters being lesser versions of themselves. It may be because of such no-win dilemmas why Johnson has always ran his career on his own terms, even amidst overwhelming pressure from the public at times.
And while Demetrious Johnson has always been open to superfights, given the right price and stipulations, one narrative that has followed him in recent years is his unwillingness to take risks and face tough challenges. And for those who have pushed this narrative, Johnson may have given them new ammunition by shutting down a potential rematch against Rizin’s Kyoji Horiguchi:
“No I don’t think [I’d fight Horiguchi again],” Johnson told BJPenn.com. “I have my sights set on winning the ONE World Grand Prix and winning the belt. I think he’s more focused on going to Bellator and I’m more focused on keeping on competing here. And at the end of the day, I won the last fight, so there’s no reason I would seek out another fight with somebody I already beat. I’m looking to accomplish things I haven’t been able to accomplish yet.
Demetrious Johnson’s victory over Horiguchi came at UFC 186 in 2015, which is the only loss Horiguchi has suffered since 2012. Horiguchi is now on another 12-fight winning streak and headed into a second superfight against someone not named Demetrious Johnson, Bellator flyweight champion Darrion Caldwell this Friday, June 14, 2018 at Bellator 222, which takes place from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
Do you think Demetrious Johnson should be interested in a cross-promotional rematch against Kyoji Horiguchi?
