Demetrious Johnson explains why he won’t move up to bantamweight

Demetrious Johnson has remained the only flyweight champion in the history of the UFC, and while there has been talk of ‘Mighty Mouse’ potentially moving up to bantamweight for a rematch with champion Dominick Cruz, a permanent move to 135 isn’t something Johnson is interested in.

The flyweight kingpin spoke to Fox Sports:

“Big fights (at bantamweight), but at the same time when Conor talks about ‘I’m going to 170’ this and that, the other day I woke up weighing 137 (pounds). That’s two pounds,” Johnson explained when speaking to FOX Sports. “Go ask (Dominick Cruz) what he’s walking around at, he’s probably at 160. Me going to 135 it’s like wake up and go take a (expletive) and I’m ready let’s jump on the scale.

“There was a point in time and I even went up to Matt (Hume) and was like ‘Matt, I think I’m ready to do it, I’m ready to go fight at 135, I want people at the edge of their seats like oh (expletive) the champ’s going to go fight at 135’. But he goes ‘there’s bigger things to do DJ’. He said if you can go out there and beat Anderson Silva’s record, that’s big. That’s what my goal is, and that’s where my heart is right now,” Johnson said.

“If somebody goes ‘you should go to 135’, my heart’s just not into it. I’m just not interested right now. If the money’s right, then I would, but I’m just not interested.”

Johnson is currently gearing up for his UFC 197 flyweight title defense against Olympian Henry Cejudo on April 23rd.