Demetrious Johnson Would Welcome Cody Garbrandt To Flyweight Division
UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson will be defending the championship against Wilson Reis this weekend at UFC On Fox 24.
However, another fighter in UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt wants to fight Johnson as well and Johnson would gladly welcome Garbrandt to the division.
“Lots of people say that they can make the weight class. Hell, I can make 115 pounds if they want to throw the division out there. Would I be able to perform at my ability? Probably not. But that’s fine. If he wants to come down and the UFC wants to give him an immediate title shot, because that’s what they do nowadays – give immediate title shots – then that’s fine. Or if I go up and challenge him for his belt if the negotiations go well, then yeah, it could happen. It’s a fight,” Johnson said to MMA Junkie.
Johnson will first be focusing on Reis and UFC history, because a successful title defense on Saturday Night for Johnson would tie him with former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva for the most consecutive title defenses in a row.
The champion says that he would never turn down a challenge, even from another division's champion.
“I’ve never, ever turned anybody down from coming to my weight class and trying to get my belt,” Johnson said. “I’ve never done it and it’s not going to start now and it’s never going to happen. If Jose Aldo says, ‘I can make 125 pounds, Demetrious Johnson; I’m coming down to fight you,’ I’m like, ‘Sweet. Perfect. Let’s get down to that weight class and let’s make it happen.’ Like I said, a lot of people have said it before, and I’m still here.”
UFC On Fox 24 takes place on Saturday, April 15 from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri with Demetrious Johnson and Wilson Reis headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event.
