Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson tied the record for most consecutive UFC title defenses when he submitted Wilson Reis in the UFC on FOX 24 main event on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. He and former middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva share the record.
Silva head the 185-pound title for seven years. He’s widely considered the greatest fighter of all time. But records are made to be broken, and Johnson is knocking on the door of history. He’s cleared out the 125-pound division to the point that the fight promotion dedicated an entire season of The Ultimate Fighter searching the world over for a viable contender.
Johnson is currently ranked as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. UFC president Dana White believes he could be the new greatest of all time.
“He’s got one more fight and he breaks Anderson Silva’s record. He’s already the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, and he strives to be better each time. And he gets better each time, literally destroying people,” said White during the UFC on FOX 24 post-fight press conference.
“This kid could be considered the GOAT right now. Or to give Anderson Silva the true respect, you wait until he actually breaks the record,” added White.
Johnson’s reign atop the 125-pound division has no end in sight. He’s beaten everyone. It would be hard to argue that he’s not the most dominant champion in UFC history, and White believes that he is the GOAT.
“It’s hard not to call this guy the greatest of all time.”
