One of the biggest questions in all of MMA is who is the GOAT? Is it someone who had the biggest impact on the sport or the person who won the most? It’s an interesting debate for fighters and fans alike to have at any time.
So, with little to no MMA on for the foreseeable future, BJPENN.com reached out to several current and former flyweights to ask who their divisional GOAT is. To no surprise, the majority gave the nod to Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson for his reign atop the UFC flyweight division for years.
Flyweights Decide Who The 125-pound GOAT Is
Adriano Moraes, ONE flyweight champion (Johnson’s next opponent): Alexandre Pantoja, he is an absolute monster.
Alex Perez, UFC flyweight: Mighty Mouse. He set the standard of being a champion in the UFC.
Darren Uyenoyama, former UFC flyweight: I think the flyweight GOAT is without a doubt Demetrious Johnson. Not just for his dominant streak as champion but how he did it. His submission skills, knockout ability, his ability to control a match. What I appreciated most was his composure on top of the hardworking and humble person he is. Nobody in the sport has done it better than DJ.
David Dvorak, UFC flyweight: Demetrious Johnson is still the best in the flyweight division. He is impossible to be forgotten thanks to his dynamic fighting style and overwhelming finishes. Not other flyweight has managed to get as many title defenses in UFC history as him. The record seems to be out of this world and impossible to reach for other fighters these days. There is just one GOAT at 125 and it is DJ.
Zach Makovsky, Brave CF, and former UFC flyweight: There’s really only one answer for flyweight GOAT and that is Demetrious Johnson. GOAT is not a defined thing but I judge it by their overall skill level, intelligence in combat, resume, and athletic ability in that order. The other option would be Henry Cejudo and he falls short in every category in my opinion although he is close in athletic ability. DJ is one of, if not the most well-rounded fighter there has ever been. He can fight a stick and move style, a pressure style, a grappling heavy style, etc. He tailors his approach to fit the opponent he is facing. Johnson also has the most title defenses in UFC history, and would guess in MMA history and did so in dominant fashion.
He’s arguably the fastest fighter there has been and arguably the best-conditioned fighter there has been. The only way to beat Demetrious is to hold him and not let him fight. That is how Pickett, Cruz, and Cejudo won. But, in the latter’s case they fought six rounds where they won three rounds and DJ got a kO. All hail King Mighty Mouse and I hope I get to fight him before our careers are over.
Jarred Brooks, former UFC flyweight: I think it’s Demetrious Johnson, no question. But, I would love to fight him and create a legacy as he did.
Brandon Royval, LFA flyweight champion: Mighty Mouse, easily. There is no one that has accomplished as much as he had and because he was so dominant.
Eric Shelton, former UFC flyweight: Demetrious Johnson not just because of his reign but because of who he is as a person. He’s a legend that didn’t need to act to be great, he’s himself through and through.
Consensus Flyweight GOAT: Demetrious Johnson
Do you agree with the pros that Demetrious Johnson is the flyweight GOAT? Let us know in the comment section.
Stay locked to BJPENN.com over the coming days to see who pros picked as the GOAT for every division.
This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 3/26/2020.