At first, Johnson didn’t want to be a full-time fighter
“The likelihood and chances of me being a world champion, it’s not gonna happen.’ I told him that straight up. I was like, ‘Dude, it’s not gonna happen.'”
Demetrious Johnson is the only man to ever hold the UFC flyweight title, but ironically never even wanted to be a full-time fighter:
Up until 2011, Johnson was not a full-time MMA fighter. He worked 10 to 12 hours per day at a recycling factory near his home in Parkland, Wash. That was what paid his bills.
Hume asked Johnson to quit his gig at the factory and do mixed martial arts full time four years ago. Johnson respectfully declined.
“Nope,” Johnson said Thursday at UFC 191 media day. “I told him, I was like, ‘Dude, this is reality. The likelihood and chances of me being a world champion, it’s not gonna happen.’ I told him that straight up. I was like, ‘Dude, it’s not gonna happen.'”
