Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson may not officially be the UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighter (that position belongs to Jon Jones) but there are many who believe the 125lb champ deserves the #1 spot, including the man himself. In an FO exclusive, Johnson makes his case.

“I can fight anywhere in mixed martial arts – in the clinch, on the ground – wherever it is,” he says. “The way I compose myself, I believe I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and I’m going to keep on continuing to prove it. People might disagree with me but my job is to go out there and prove that I’m correct.

“I’ve always thought that. Now I’m just being vocal about it. I just believe that if I stay on that path I’m on, keep on winning and keep showing different types of stuff in the Octagon, eventually people will jump on board. My coaches believe I am and I’ve always believed I am.”

It’s hard to argue against him. Johnson is undefeated in 11 flyweight fights. He’s the only champion in the UFC’s 125lb history. He has the latest finish in UFC history. He beats challengers at their own game. And he dominates his strongest opponents.

Finishing a purebred athlete like Cejudo comes as no surprise. Johnson may have been slightly shocked the finish came as quickly as it did, but there was no doubt that if he pulls the trigger at the right time, the judges will have an early night.

“I just go out there and fight and whatever happens, happens,” he adds. “The knee landed in the liver and I just ran with it and kept on the pressure. I expect to be able to do it to anyone if it lands right. Like I said, it landed perfect – the liver shot – and like he said, if you’ve ever been hit in the body, it paralyzes you.

“I knew when I heard him grunt I was like, ‘I’ve won this. I’m going to finish this fight.’ If you look at those shots to the liver and to the body, they were well-timed knees. When everything’s just perfect it leads to that knockout.”

Read the full interview with Demetrious Johnson inside the July ’16 edition of Fighters Only – on sale now.