Demetrious Johnson names the lone UFC champion he believes has the best chance of breaking his defense record
Demetrious Johnson has named the lone UFC champion he believes has the best chance of breaking his defense record.
“Mighty Mouse” indeed boasts the record for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC history.
Johnson, 36, (30-4 MMA), currently competes in ONE Championship, after leaving the UFC back in 2018.
In his time with the UFC, the flyweight legend, secured his legacy as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
It was between 2012 and 2017, that Demetrious Johnson sat on the 125-pound throne dismissing 11 challenges to his reign from the likes of John Dodson, Joseph Benavidez, Kyoji Horiguchi and Henry Cejudo.
In speaking with Danny Segura of ‘MMA Junkie’, Johnson discussed who he thought had the best chance of breaking his record saying:
“Look what happened to Kamaru Usman. I truly thought that he was gonna be the gentleman to break my longest consecutive title defense record. I had him on that list, that he was gonna break it.”
Of course it was Kamaru Usman (20-2 MMA) who was recently handed a knockout blow courtesy of Leon Edwards (20-3 MMA) in the welterweight main event last Saturday night at UFC 278.
Losing his title and therefore eliminating him (Usman) from the running, Johnson went on to say who he believes could break his record his record, continuing (h/t MMANews):
“I think Valentina Shevchenko will break it, just because she’s leaps and bounds ahead of her competition. I also think the pool in women’s mixed martial arts isn’t as vast. It’s not that deep. She’s just lightyears above people.”
Valentina Shevchenko (23-3 MMA) is currently on a 9 fight winning streak. The 34 year old ‘Bullet’ most recently defeated Taila Santos (19-2 MMA) in June of this year at UFC 275.
Are you in agreement with Demetrious Johnson that Valentina Shevchenko has the best change of breaking his defense record?
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