Johnson: Why asking how to become champ is the wrong question

Demetrious Johnson, the best pound for pound fighter in the UFC, fights TUFC 24 winner Tim Elliott at the season Finale on December 3 at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a sterling interview with Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports, Johnson described the unique path he is on.

He began by noting that fans ask him, “How do you become champion?” DJ says that’s the wrong question.

I’ll say, ‘You’ve already failed because you’ve asked how do you become a champion?'” explained Johnson. “It should be, ‘How do I become a great mixed martial artist? What do I do to reach that goal?’ Me being a champion is a byproduct of me falling in love with being a martial artist and falling in love with learning and being a good student and being a good athlete.

The belt? That comes and goes. Look, I’m going to lose the belt eventually. It’s going to f***ing happen. But as long as I don’t let that determine how I perceive mixed martial arts and allow it to dictate my life, then everything’s fine.

I have no stress on myself. At the end of the day, if I lose, I’m going to go back to the gym, keep on trying to get better and I’m going to get another contract with the UFC to fight someone else. I’ll do my best to win that fight, but I know that if I lose again, it happens. I know it’s an off-subject rant, but that’s my mindset on fighting.

TUF 24 FINALE
Main Card (FOX Sports 1)
Demetrious Johnson (c) vs. Tim Elliott
Joseph Benavidez vs. Henry Cejudo
Jake Ellenberger vs. Jorge Masvidal
Ion Cutelaba vs. Jared Cannonier
Sara McMann vs. Alexis Davis
Brandon Moreno vs. Ryan Benoit
Prelim Card (FOX Sports 1)
Gray Maynard vs. Ryan Hall
Rob Font vs. Matt Schnell
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Brendan O’Reilly
Kailin Curran vs. Jamie Moyle
Prelim Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Elvis Mutapcic vs. Anthony Smith
Josh Stansbury vs. Devin Clark