Jose Johnson, UFC Vegas 101 weigh-in Credit score: Eddie Legislation/Cageside Press
Like numerous fighters first setting foot in a health club, for Jose Johnson, MMA was a manner out. A option to get off the streets, get on the straight and slim. Keep out of hassle.
Johnson, now within the UFC, by no means anticipated to make a profession out of it nevertheless. As an alternative, he breezed by way of dozens and dozens newbie bouts (Johnson estimates round 80) on sheer athletic expertise alone. And nevermind pursuing a carrer within the sport – Johnson didn’t even resolve to take coaching seriusly till he confronted Trevor Morris in 2015 for the WXC newbie bantamweight championship.
“It was actually in my very last amateur fight where I made that decision [to pursue MMA as a career]. All the way up until then, I had no desire to be in the UFC, I had no desire to talk anything about a UFC belt, I barely even watched it to be honest with you,” Johnson advised The High Turtle Podcast on Cageside Press forward of his combat with Felipe Bunes at UFC Vegas 101. “Only the main, major cards and a couple of fighters that I personally liked.”
Towards Morris was when Harris acknowledged that he had true potential within the sport if he took coaching significantly. “I actually prepared for this fight, I actually was not going off of my athleticism and natural gifts. I actually trained for this one, and I was doing great against the number two, he was number two in Indiana and in Michigan at the time. Destroying him.”
Johnson discovered himself caught within the final spherical, nevertheless, after initiating a takedown and getting caught in an arm-bar. “I never lived that down, really, and it was at that moment where someone came to me and they told me to watch my fight over. And I watched my fight over, and I saw my potential.”
Fifteen or so title fights/belts between the newbie and regional scene later, and Johnson did land within the UFC. After a Contender Sequence look in 2022, he debuted the next 12 months, and has posted a 1-2 file to this point. That makes this Saturday’s combat in opposition to Bunes at UFC Vegas 101 a important one.
Whereas Johnson’s coaches really feel he’ll “smash” Bunes, “I’m a little bit more humble than that, and I always give someone credit. He made it to the UFC the same way I did. He’s had a long career and a tougher route, same way I did. I’m not taking anything from him.”
Jose Johnson had discovered one flaw in his opponent, nevertheless. “I will say he stands still a lot, and that’s not really a good thing you want to do if, you’re personally looking at my size and my record. It shows I like to knock people out. So standing in front of me is not the best idea.”
UFC Vegas 101, with Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes featured, takes place on Saturday, January 11, 2025 on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV.
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Author : admin
Publish date : 2025-01-11 03:23:21
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