UFC 168 winner Michael Johnson: ‘I want the belt, and I want it pretty soon’

Michael Johnson has faced several peaks and valleys in his 10-fight UFC career. But with back-to-back wins under his belt, he said he’s now ready to make a run at the title.

“I want the belt, and I want it pretty soon,” Johnson told MMAjunkie Radio. “I’m going to keep winning fights to do it.”

Johnson (12-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) posted his second straight UFC victory this past weekend at UFC 168 when he became the first man in the UFC’s lightweight division to knock out Gleison Tibau (28-10 MMA, 13-8 UFC).

It was an eye-opening performance from “The Ultimate Fighter 12” runner-up, and it proved he’s more than just a middling fighter in the 155-pound weight class – a reputation that followed him after inconsistent results.

Tibau has been a mainstay on the UFC roster since 2006, so for Johnson to knock him out cold was a major testament to the potential of the 27-year-old American.

While Johnson may have had a rough start to his UFC career with just one win in his first three appearances, he said the losses were a necessary consequence for his success today and in the future.

“Those losses don’t mean anything to me,” Johnson said. “They’re just lessons. I might as well get through them early. Then when I’m at the top, those losses won’t happen.”

With consecutive wins over Tibau and Joe Lauzon, who share nearly 40 fights of combined UFC experience, “The Menace” has never been more confident. However, Johnson refuses to ruffle too many feathers among his fellow competitors and has no intentions of making any bold statements about future opponents.

“I’m really not in the business of calling people out,” Johnson said. “I want anybody who is in front of me. If you’re in front of me, if you’re in a position in front of me, I want to fight you.”

After two big wins in 2013, Johnson will enter the new year with a full head of steam and the momentum of unrivaled personal success. He foresees a landmark year in 2014. The best opponents in the world stand in his way of getting there, but Johnson said he’s ready to defeat any of them.

“Wherever I am in the rankings doesn’t matter,” Johnson said. “Put someone in front of me who leads to the title, and I’ll beat them.”

For complete coverage of UFC 168, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

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