Best of Demetrious Johnson on what it takes to be a fighter and his legendary career

Summary

Podcast Summary

Outta Pocket with RG3

Episode: Best of Demetrious Johnson on What It Takes To Be a Fighter and His Legendary Career
Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Robert Griffin III (RG3) with Grete Griffin

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Episode Overview

This episode spotlights Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists (MMA) of all time. The conversation delves into Johnson’s mindset as a competitor, his MMA journey, the meaning of legacy, mental health, family, and issues facing fighters in today’s MMA landscape. The tone is open, authentic, often humorous, and genuinely insightful, offering a rare look at what makes Johnson a unique athlete and human being.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mental Health, Stoicism, and Personal Growth

[00:58–02:54]

• Demetrious describes his stoic demeanor, shaped by the needs of combat sports, and how his wife would describe him as "talking to a brick wall".
• Post-fighting, acting classes helped him access and express emotions more openly.
• Notable Moment: The story of a minor domestic annoyance—having to park outside—illustrates Johnson’s growth in self-expression and marital communication.
  • "For me, my mental health is like the old me would harbor that [...] now that we're past it, I was like, there's no reason why I should be parking outside." (Demetrious Johnson, 02:26)

2. Athletic Beginnings and the Path to Wrestling

[03:13–04:56]

• Johnson details his high school sports experience, noting frustration with football's hierarchy and his subsequent switch to cross country.
• He was introduced to wrestling in eighth grade and found instant success because it allowed him to compete against people his own size.
  • "That's the only sport that I can fight somebody who's the same size as me. It's like one on one, Ok? I can train as hard as I want. Nobody's going to dictate the outcome of the mat besides me against this guy." (Demetrious Johnson, 04:35)

3. Transition into MMA

[05:55–08:51]

• After wrestling in high school, Johnson struggled to find a professional path—until seeing "The Ultimate Fighter" on TV.
• Inspired by Rashad Evans, he began MMA training (“boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, jiu jitsu”).
• Johnson frames his approach as that of a "professional athlete" more than a "fighter".
  • "You're not a fighter. [...] You are a professional athlete. This stuff you can do athletically, you don't care to hurt somebody and you're very intelligent." (Coach's words paraphrased by Johnson, 08:03–08:26)
• MMA started as a break from monotonous day job life, with early fights paying as little as $250.

4. UFC Record & Legacy—First Flyweight Champion

[09:31–10:58]

• Johnson reflects on winning the UFC flyweight tournament and becoming the division’s first champion.
• Shares a humorous story—being compared to "the George Washington of the flyweight division," but feeling more like "Barack Obama."
  • "I'm the first black flyweight fighter ever. Like, George Washington, but I'm Barack Obama." (Demetrious Johnson, 10:03)
• Notes the changing nature of fame and recognition with the evolution of social media.

5. Greatest Career Finishes & Fighting Style

[10:58–14:57]

• Johnson’s picks for greatest finishes:
  • The flying knee KO of Adriano Moraes: Technically demanding and finally allowed him to display “swag” in his fighting style.
    • "I never had any swag...until that fight." (Demetrious Johnson, 11:39)
  • The suplex-to-armbar submission of Ray Borg: A once-in-a-lifetime, never-duplicated move.
    • "That one is probably...something that will probably never be done again, ever." (Demetrious Johnson, 13:03)
• RG3 notes Johnson’s tactical, calculated approach compared to fighters who rely on brute force.
  • "When I watch you in the Octagon...You're more tactical." (RG3, 14:20)

6. The Mind of a Champion: Tactical vs. Brawler Mindset

[15:01–16:35]

• Early on at 125 lbs, Johnson tried brawling, which resulted in dizziness/vertigo after the fight.
• His coach emphasized leveraging unique advantages—footwork, movement, transitioning between martial arts—over “just slanging and banging.”
  • "[Coach]: you have the ability to move and not get hit and hit them and be fluid in transitioning between all the art forms and mixed martial arts. Like, that's your gift." (Demetrious Johnson, 16:04–16:11)
• Johnson shifted to a tactical “Call of Duty” approach—methodical, not reckless.

7. Pioneering the First UFC Trade & Pay Inequality

[17:58–21:21]

• Reflects on becoming the subject of the UFC’s first major trade (to ONE Championship).
  • Motivated by pay disputes and a lack of appreciation for flyweights in the UFC.
• Details the structure of UFC pay and how champion pay isn’t always transparent or fair.
  • "If you're the best in the world, you should be compensated as the best in the world, for sure." (Demetrious Johnson, 18:44)
• Shares specific numbers: title fight pay at $14k, then slow growth with each win; pay-per-view points rare due to management’s control.

8. The Need for Free Agency in MMA

[21:21–22:56]

• Johnson advocates for an MMA version of the Muhammad Ali Act:
  • Free agency would allow champions to negotiate directly and maximize earnings, similar to boxing.
  • "There should be a free agency market where it's like, 'hey, I'm Demetrius Johnson. I'm looking to defend my belt...Who wants to, you know, cater this?'" (Demetrious Johnson, 22:19)

9. Athlete Decline—Why Champions Drop Off

[22:56–25:35]

• RG3 asks why top MMA stars often quickly fall off after reaching the top (cites McGregor, Adesanya, Usman, Cejudo).
• Johnson says age, slower recovery, and the inability to recognize when it’s time to walk away all play a role.
  • "Mixed martial arts is a young man's game." (Demetrious Johnson, 23:44)
• Johnson attributes his own longevity to disciplined routine, family life, consistent habits, and a coach who kept him evolving.

10. Family, Loss, and Perspective

[25:35–27:17]

• Talks openly about the impact of his sister’s death. Trained obsessively as a coping mechanism, but after her passing, let himself enjoy life more and let go of perfectionism.
  • "I'm tired of being perfect. Like, we're all gonna die eventually, so I might as well just enjoy my life and not put so much pressure on myself when I compete." (Demetrious Johnson, 26:32)
• Wife’s role is essential—Johnson credits her for stability, personal growth, and embracing new experiences (like travel and cultural exploration).
  • "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her...She's been a huge, huge rock in my life." (Demetrious Johnson, 27:32-28:31)

11. Fatherhood, Upbringing, and Representation

[30:29–33:33]

• Johnson describes not having a father growing up, learning positive male role models from friends’ dads.
• Advocates for active, engaged Black fatherhood and fights stereotypes by being faithful, present, and committed at home.
  • "I feel proud to be that person in the forefront...not like, I'm married, take care of my kids...There is no infidelity or me running around. Like, this is..." (Demetrious Johnson, 32:39)
• Emphasizes the importance of partnership, family, and what it truly means to build an unbreakable bond over time.
  • "There's never gonna be another woman out there that can replace my wife because she's given me three children. Right. Like, what we built. Like, no other woman...there's nothing you can do that's ever gonna trap what my wife has done for me and what we built together." (Demetrious Johnson, 33:13–33:24)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mental Health & Stoicism:
  "Athletes don't like to talk about [mental health]. It makes us look weak, essentially. But for me, I was already a brick wall..." (Demetrious Johnson, 01:21)

• On His Unique Athletic Identity:
  "You're an athlete. That's what athletes do. Fighters, they just go, 'come on, let's fight.'" (Demetrious Johnson, 08:26)

• On Changing the MMA Game:
  "If you're the best in the world, you should be compensated as the best in the world, for sure." (Demetrious Johnson, 18:44)

• On Fatherhood & Partnership:
  "No other woman—there's nothing you can do that's ever gonna trap what my wife has done for me and what we built together, right." (Demetrious Johnson, 33:24)

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Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening mental health segment | 00:58–02:54 | | Football & wrestling background | 03:13–04:56 | | Finding MMA & early career | 05:55–08:51 | | Title record, legacy, and social media fame | 09:31–10:58 | | Greatest finishes (flying knee/armbar) | 10:58–14:10 | | Tactical vs brutish fighting styles | 15:01–16:47 | | UFC pay, trade, and fighter compensation | 17:58–21:21 | | Free agency advocacy (Muhammad Ali Act talk) | 21:21–22:56 | | Fighters' declining careers | 22:56–25:35 | | Sister’s passing, life philosophy shift | 25:35–27:17 | | Wife's influence and embracing family | 27:32–29:52 | | Black fatherhood, legacy, and commitment | 30:29–33:33 |

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Tone & Style

The podcast maintains a warm, conversational, and occasionally playful vibe. RG3 and Johnson riff off each other with humor as they dive into deep topics, with Johnson sharing both wisdom and vulnerability in a straightforward, relatable manner.

Transcript

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Yo, yo, yo. Welcome to out of pocket with RG3, hosted by your boy and the lovely, amazing, beautiful, 37 time all American, crazy great athlete, love of my life, Greta Griffin.

[Show Announcer]

Today's show, we got a guy that

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

is nicknamed Mighty Mouse, but trust me, he's way bigger than his stature. Makes him look out to be championship Grand Prix winner in the flyweight division. He is known as one of the pound for pound greatest fighters we have ever seen, and holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses with 11. The 1 and only Demetrius Mighty Mouse Johnson. We're here with the man, the myth, the legend, Demetrius Johnson. Mighty Mouse. You know, we bring people on this show, and the first question we always like to ask them is, how are you doing, man?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I'm good, I'm good. Enjoying the first time in Louisiana, New Orleans, with my wife. That's one thing we love to do, is travel together. I can't complain. Body's healthy, kids are good, no leaks in the roof. I'm happy, man.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Too many times people come on the show and they ask them immediately about their career or what they think about this, and it's like, mental health is a huge deal to us, and we feel like just asking people how they are can open up and have conversations that, you know, maybe don't always appear.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

No, I agree. Mental health is a huge, huge thing. And I think a lot of athletes don't like to talk about it. You know, it makes us look weak, essentially. But for me, I was already a brick wall. Like my wife would say, it's like

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

talking to a brick wall. And I'm like, well, you got to think what I do for a living. I was like, I got to look stoic as I might get hit. And I'm like, that won't.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

But then after I stopped fighting, I started taking acting classes. The teacher was like, hey, you got to get in touch with your emotions, okay? And then once I got in touch with my emotions, I started to speak more, you know, tell her my feelings. And what's funny, the other day, we're leaving, you know, I park outside. I'm a very. A very humble man, I would say. But there are some things. It's non negotiable.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

It's non negotiable. That would make sense why it happens.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

We had a house, we brought all the furniture up, and where I park my car, it has all the furniture. So I'm parking outside in Washington right Now, it's like 20 degrees, so it's freezing.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

So I forget that I park outside so when I go outside, I have

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

to, like the first time in, I

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

would say, our marriage, right?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I'm sitting there and we're going to the airport.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

It's like, you know, five o' clock in the morning. I'm sitting here hitting eyes on, and

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

then like, we're gonna be late.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And I'm in a car and I'm not speaking. I'm just like, yeah, that sounds good. That sounds good.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And then we get to the airport

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

and I'm like, okay, now that I'm over it, I was like, there's no reason why I should be parking outside, not towards her, right? But for me, my mental health is like the old me would harbor that.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I'll be in a fight like this.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Like, it's a great flight. But I told her, I was like, you know, now that we're past it, I was like, there's no reason why I should be parking outside. It's not towards you, it's not towards me.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

It's just.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

That's a fact. It's a fact. That's how I feel. But it's not towards her. Matilda. It's great. And it's in a great spot right now.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

That's a great story. Because it's the little things that kind of bother us. And sometimes little things can turn into big things if we don't handle them right in that moment. So some people are like, oh, what's he talking about? It's like, nah, it's just you want to knock it out before it becomes something bigger and more catastrophic. So I respect the fact that you brought that up until that story. While you talk about football, did you ever play?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

What did you play when you played?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I played middle school and high school. I played running back, quarter cornerback and wide receiver. And then sometimes I'll play nose guard just for. And giggles. Just like, oh, man.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

When you're nose guard, I mean, when you're, you know, in middle school, it's

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

like, you're fast, okay?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Get through that line real quick and get that motherfucker. Go get a mighty mouth.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Go get him.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, that's what I did. But I enjoyed football. I think the biggest thing for me in middle school, I played. Once I got to high school, you know, you play JV as a freshman, and then when it came to a sophomore, you know, I was on a varsity and so I would practice. But then when it come to every Friday night, they're like, you got to sit on the bench, you got to wait till you're junior, senior, and I'm like, guys, I'm not about to, like, sit here. Just sit here. And then even when it came to practice, you know, I'll show up on time, ready to work. The older kids, juniors, seniors. I'll be smoking weed in the bathroom. Oh, they'll come out, oh, you guys are late. Let's run gassers and then all day.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And I'm like, dude, why am I

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

being punished for these guys who don't want to play? And I don't even get to play. So I was like, I'm out. I'm gonna go run cross country. And now's the last time I played football.

[Interviewer/Host]

And so at what point did you find wrestling? Because you started out as a wrestler?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

When I was in eighth grade. Eighth grade? Yeah, I was playing. The wrestling coach was a football assistant. Football coach, assistant. And he was making sure you come up for wrestling. And I was like, I'm not wearing that damn singlet, my balls hanging out.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

You didn't want to kurt angle it?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I didn't want to kurt angle it. And then next thing you know, I was like, you know, I was like, I'm small.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I think at the time I was like, 91 pounds. And I was like, you know, that's the only sport that I can fight somebody who's the same size as me. It's like one on one, Okay? I can train as hard as I want. Nobody's going to dictate the outcome of the mat besides me against this guy. And so I tried wrestling and then won every single match besides one and then one districts. And then I was, okay. I'm hooked on wrestling. That's when it took off from there.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I'm not gonna lie. Phenomenal intro for you to get into wrestling. But I'm just envisioning in my mind right now, Demetrius Johnson.

[Show Announcer]

How tall are you? 5:53. 3.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Okay. You said it. I didn't say it.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He said, yeah. So that five three.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Hey, I.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Five' three, playing running back and then transitioning and becoming Aaron Donald at defensive tackle. We got Darren Sprouls on offense and Aaron Donald on defense. I just. They couldn't see the.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

You said you were 91 pounds in eighth grade. Yep, I was 97 pounds in eighth grade.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Hey, so you're saying there was. There was a chance that you could have you.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Maybe you grow. I don't know.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You know, one day I just wake up in bed. I told her, like, hold my feet, reach outside. Something happened. Yes, it happened.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

That's what I'm hoping for.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

But, you know, still got time.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I'm only 38.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You know, I got about hopefully 30 years.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

My man's feet are dangling.

[Show Announcer]

He's like.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

That was. We were just talking about Shaq and, like, meeting Shaq and how he makes you feel like a small human being, but he makes everybody feel like a small human being.

[Interviewer/Host]

When and how did you find mma? And, like, when did you realize, okay, this could be a thing?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, I think after high school, that's one of the things that's kind of not sad about wrestling, but there's not a real path to professionalism in wrestling, where, you know, football, basketball, track, even. There's a path to, like, hey, I was good in high school. I went to college, and they get drafted into something. So after high school and wrestling, I was like, okay, I'm not gonna do track, because there's no outlet to track. Right. And I was, okay, well, I'm just gonna chill. And then I was going to college, and in between going to college and coming home, I saw the Ultimate Fighter

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

at the very beginning of their seasons.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

They would have to actually, you know, win a competition within the season in order to pick who they're gonna fight.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Correct.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I saw a sugar Rashad Evans. He was hitting the bag. He was punching it up an incline hill, and I was like, I bet you I can do this. I'm gonna give it a try.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Okay.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

So next thing you know, I went

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

to the gym, and I started punching the bag.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And then a guy that I knew from the wrestling circu school, he was

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

like, you want to learn how to fight?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I just started just training and taking classes, learning how to box, kickbox, do Muay Thai wrestling, jiu jitsu.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Wow.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Impressive.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I mean, it's impressive that that's how you found your way into it, because, you know, once you actually got in and started competing, you're the goat at your weight division. I'm a big UFC fan, big MMA fan. So they said, hey, do you want Demetrius Johnson on the show? I'm like, hell, yeah.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

All right.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

So I'm a big fan of what you've been able to accomplish and know how difficult it is and having, you know, friends in the industry in UFC and mma. Jeff Neal. Yeah, we were high school teammates.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Oh.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

He was a defensive end on our football team. So, you know, I've been following him a lot and really got more into the sport. But for you, there's a moment that fighters talk about and they're like, you know, the saying is, I didn't Find fighting. Fighting found me, yeah. What was that moment for you?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I think I found fighting because I. For me, I always look at myself as a professional athlete. If I were to play football, I excelled in football for my size, right? When I ran track, you know, I was the fastest kid in the school at 5:3, and my fastest mile was like, 4:38, right? And so when I went to cross country, I placed at state. Like, everything I did, I excelled in it. So I looked at myself as a professional athlete. Even after all my amazing run in the ufc, one of the coaches goes, you ain't a fighter.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, what you mean, I ain't a fighter? I'm the best in the world, and I don't even train in a cage.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

What you talking about?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

He goes, you're not a fighter.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I was like, explain yourself. He goes, you are a professional athlete. He goes, this stuff that you can do athletically, you don't care to hurt somebody, and you're very intelligent. You can move and you see things, and I could tell you to do this, and you're able to make that adjustment in your brain and move. And he goes, you're an athlete. That's what athletes do.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Fighters, they just go, come on, let's fight.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Let's go back and forth. And so, for me, I found fighting, and I was able to excel in it because, once again, it was dictated on my hard work, my ethic, my discipline, making sure I did everything right. And even when you start fighting in mixed martial arts, it's not like you become professional and your first paychecks, you

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

know, you made $250 to show up, and you went, $200 a win. Congratulations.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I was like, I guess I can go buy a laptop at Best Buy now. I mean, that sounds great.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And I worked throughout my whole entire

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

career, up until I fought Dominick Cruz. And even when I fought Dominick Cruz, that paycheck was 14,000 a show, 14,000 when I lost that fight. And so it's like. And that's a world title fight. That's. I'm at the super bowl, essentially, and I made $14,000. So that's why I feel like I found fighting instead of, like, you know, fighting found me because it was an outlet for me to break up the monotony of life, the nine to five. And I was like, you know what? I'm gonna keep doing it. And eventually I kept on winning, and then the money got better, obviously, 14 turned into 20, then 20 turned into 24, then 24 turned 100k, then to 350, then it's got better and better after that.

[Interviewer/Host]

And now you're clearly a legendary UFC fighter and first ever flyweight champion. What does that mean to you when you just sit back on a Sunday and be like, you know what? I did that.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I think he's pretty proud of me. He was like, that's right.

[Show Announcer]

Yeah.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You know, hey, there's. It was funny.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

There was a guy in a division, it was a tournament. It was four of us. It was me, Justin Benavides, Ian McCall, and Uritani. And he goes, I'm about to be the George Washington of the flyweight division. Not me.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I didn't say that. He said it. And I was like, well, you gotta beat me first. And then when I won, I was like.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I was like, I'm the first black flyweight fighter ever. Like, George Washington, but I'm Barack Obama. He's the first black person ever, right?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And he was like.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And after now, we, you know, shoot the. He goes, God damn it, Kim, you beat me that day. Because I was supposed to be.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

For me.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

They set this up for me.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

It feels good because my name is

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

etched in history forever. And now I feel like I'm my most popular just because in my time, when I was fighting from 2013 to, you know, 2025, 2013 to 2018, social media isn't what it was.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Correct.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Concentration isn't what it was, right? But now that I've done amazing things in my career, like the flying armbar, the flying knee, and all my finishes, people are like, they're getting into the sport now, and they're like, oh, man, who's this guy?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, you want to see

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

somebody who's good now, you need to check out this little. And they look at me and they're like, where's he at now? And he'll. He just retired. And I'm like, I missed him. It's like, you don't get to see the greats play. So I'm grateful for having an opportunity to be the first ever flyweight in the ufc.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

So you talk about some of your finishes. What would you consider to be your greatest finish of all time? I have some ideas, but I want

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

to hear from you.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

What do you think your greatest finish of all time is?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Man, I think for me, I would

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

probably say the Adriano one. I need him in the face.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Okay.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I mean, the Ray Borg one's good, too, but I think the Adriana, because there's so much that's going on at a Very, very fast pace. And then when you slow it down, going from, you know, faking the leg, you know, slipping right hand and then following him, and then just a little subtle push, how people don't see. Then the fly knee into the cage and then just walking off. And then

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I'll never forget, because in fighting, like, it's very hard.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

In my career, I never had any swag. I just never put any swag into my fighting style until that fight. And I don't blame my coach for that, but I kind of do, because

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

at that training game, he goes, dude,

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

you can do, like.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You don't have to be so traditional. You could be, you know, have a little swag about you. And I was like, but I'm gonna get hit. He goes, just stay the back and do your swag. And then that fight, when I hit

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

him with that knee and I walked

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

up and I was like, whoo. I know his ass is. I know his ass is done. I walked off, and then I was

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

walking around, and then I said, some

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

in the camera, and I dapped up my boys.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Then I ran over and I said,

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

hey, man, good fight.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

We'll do it again healthy. You showed us some respect. Then I kind of did my, you know, my Deadpool stuff.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And then the ref. The ref came over to me.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He goes, hey, I just want to let you know, I'm so glad that he was done.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

He was like, oh, just laid out.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And he goes, I was going to be worried that I was going to have to, you know, tell you to come back.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

He's not out. And I was like, if you told

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

that, I would have went over and finished the job, so don't worry about it.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And there's just, like, two different, like, just switches that when I'm in there,

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

it's like, it's all business. And when I'm out, I'm, like, kind and bubbly. But I'll have to say that one is probably my favorite.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I would say one of your most swaggerific finishes, it was when you went from the WWE suplex into the armbar.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Why don't you think that was your greatest one? Because I feel like that's your. One of your best highlights, I think, technical wise.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yes.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

It's never been done before.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Yeah.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I mean, it is.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You said, got to pick one. And I just. I just forgot. I mean, that was.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

That one is probably, like, something that probably never be done again, ever, Ever. And there's people who've tried, and people tried to do it to me.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

All the time.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I was like, you don't have the explosivity to throw me up and catch me. And we were just working that in a gym, working on how to force somebody to distribute their weight for you.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Right.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And in my whole training career, like, I trained with, you know, Microsoft employees, which is, you know, if somebody does a switch and they set out like this, you grab their training, you pull them down, and then you bring them down to the ground to pin them. And then another thing we always try to focus on is, like, when somebody loses their balance, the first thing they do is they catch their bounce by throwing their hands out. Correct. And I was like, okay. He did it to me. And I was, okay, well, teach it to me. And he was explaining to me every, you know, concept of that move. And then when I was in that fight, I was beating Ray Borg, and I'm beating him, and I was like, you know what? I can't move you right now. I was like, let me see if I can shift your weight real quick. And I'm hitting him, and you see him, he's sitting there like this, holding, and he goes, huh?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And I was like, you did it perfect. And I was up. Come on.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I got it. And to be able to beat him all five rounds and then do that, it was like, yeah. People loved it. And people all around the world are like, I've been watching this Sport since the 90s.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Never seen it.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I've never seen anything like that before. And I'm like, yeah, yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

It speaks to what you talked about earlier, how you feel like you found fighting. Because when I watch you in the Octagon, some guys go in there, just. They want to punish.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, Right.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

It's brute force. I'm walking through whatever you throw at me. You're more tactical.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

So that was like, pause. I could see it in your eyes.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Okay.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Like, when you.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

When you know what man is looking at another man in the eyes when he's fighting the office, you're looking at

[Interviewer/Host]

him in the eyes right now.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Oh, are you fighting in your fighting now? I was watching. I was watching. I was paying attention.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Okay. Yes.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Take the pause, and let's move forward.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Okay.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I saw it. When you went to throw him, you were immediately already thinking you were three steps ahead, and that's why you're able to catch that. Most guys don't do that. I see a lot of guys get knockouts. I'm sure you see it as well.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yep.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

And they close their eyes, they don't know what they're doing hitting?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

They're just swinging.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Swinging, Yep.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

And I've never seen you fight that way, so I think it speaks to exactly what you were talking about.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Thanks, man. Yeah. There was one time I fought kind of like that. I was like, when they brought in the 125, cuz, I was fighting at 135, so everybody was always taller than me. When they introduced the 125 pound division, I was like, it's about to go down. I'm about to slang it. Bang, baby.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And I did that. I was. I was like, wow.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Just.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

We're just going back and forth, and

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

the next thing you know, I'm back in the hotel room, and I'm just, like, sitting there and I'm just spinning. Like, I had a long night of drinking. Just spin and spin. I'm like. And I'm like, I talked to my coach, and he goes, you got vertigo, dude. Like, your brain is, you know, it's rocked right now. And then one thing I always appreciate about my coach is that he was never a yes man.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Like, oh, you look good. You look good.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He was always like, I would win

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

my fights, and I'm like, you know, how was he? He goes, that looked like.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

That looked like. And every time we go back to the gym, we would fight like. He like, all right, it's time to spar, and he'll just beat the out of me.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, what did I do wrong? And then now when I do my interviews, I'm like, yep, like a child

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

that's gonna get beat. He told me after that fight, he said, dude, what the hell was that?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, man, I was slanging, man. You see how good I was looking at there? He goes, that was the stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He goes, you have the ability to move and not get hit and hit

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

them and be fluid in transitioning between

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

all the art forms and mixed martial arts. Like, that's your gift. He goes, I can't do that. Brad can't do that.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

None of nobody here can do that.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

That's what separates you from everybody else, right? And then that. That day forward, that's. I was, okay, now I'm gonna start moving and move and try to wrestle people. So that's like, when you brought up that, like, the tactical approach, that's when that tactical approach came, because I tried to be like, Call of Duty, running out there and just shooting and just dying over and over.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Kill death ratio.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Like, you know, five kills and 25 losses. But after that I was okay. Let's get tactical about. Let's like, you know, check our corners. Let's, you know, pop up. Let's throw a flash grenade. Let's be mindful what we're doing in there.

[Show Announcer]

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[Interviewer/Host]

You also made history because you were part of the first ever major UFC trade. So why did you want out of your contract?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Like I said before, in 2018, the sport was for mixed martial arts, for lighter division, like 125, it just wasn't as popular as it is.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I still go back and forth.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I don't know if it's a popular today as it was back in 2018, but it just wasn't where it wanted to be. And prior to me having that fight with him, Cejudo, there was always an argument between not argument, but disagreement about pay when it came to me being a champion and better opportunity, right? Better opportunity to go over to Asia, fight over there, go to a company that valued my skill set, my morals, how I carried myself. And it was the best thing I ever did in my career. Like just for me. I feel like if you're the best in the world, you should be compensated as the best in the world for sure.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Besides, you know, obviously ticket sales on

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

stuff that's that's got to come into a play. But it's not like we're, you know, a Union, Right. I'm not getting part of ticket sales. I'm not part of that. Yes. You know, at the very beginning of my career, I try to get paper view points. This is an ongoing story. And, you know, Dana White says this, I say this, but if you can't dictate what card you're going to be on or what say, so what you know you're going to line up on, then what's the point? Having opportunity to get preview points, if you like. How it works, just to give you more context, is like, for example, let's say you get pay for your points. And how it goes is from 0 to 200,000 buys of a pay per view, you get $0. So if you get 175,000 buys, you still get $0. And then when you do take pay per view points, you get a lower pay. So let's say, hey, you're gonna get pay per view points. I'm gonna give you $125,000 to show up, $75,000 to win, and then we're gonna give you pay per view points on the back end and structure. 0 to 200,000, 0, 200,000 to 400,000, you get $1, 400,000 to 600,000, you get $1.50. So forth and so forth and so forth. So if you fight, you know, I was always on Fox and I did

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

fight on a pay per view.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

It was me and Jon Jones. Jon Jones was supposed to fight dc, but DC got hurt, so he fought osp. I was supposed to fight. I think I fought Henry Cejudo. That one I can't remember.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

But I didn't have pay per view

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

points, but I got. But I chose 350k up front, right? And they go up every $10,000. So 350, 360, 370, 380. But there's other champions.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Them get the belt. The first, they get it. Here's $500,000, here's pay per view points.

[Interviewer/Host]

I'm like, what the.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I've been here eight times already and I still ain't got paid. I'm like, it just didn't make sense to me. Didn't make sense to me.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

You know, for example, you know, when Dustin, he fought Conor, he was like, that's all he needed to do. Because if you fight Conor or if you get on a card with, you know, a mega card, then it's like you in house, right? Tyrone Rowley did it. I remember talking to him. He was traveling in New York and they just released that he was fighting Wonder Boy. And he told me he got 500,000 plus pay per view points. And then the card wasn't, you know, finalized. And then eventually it was like Conor versus Eddie Alvarez as the main event. And I said, I was like, you rich playboy.

[Show Announcer]

I was like, you done did it.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And he saw heels.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Thank the gods. Because he knew just the star power of that card would just drive the purview through the roof. So, all in all, it was a better opportunity for me to go to one championship to meet, make better money and be with a company that, you know, valued my morals and my skillset.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

You mentioned pay. You mentioned your opportunity to go over to 1. What is 1 thing that you would like to change about the MMA landscape today?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Free agency.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Okay.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Meaning the Muhammad Ali act. And I could get some of this wrong, but how it's explained to me is that right now, if you are in, for example, let's say you have Jon Jones, he's the heavyweight champion of the world. You also have Tom Aspinall, who's the heavyweight champion of the world, interim champion. They are under the UFC banner. UFC gets the rights to create that fight. But if we had the Muhammad Ali act, where a champion is his own entity, where he's like, I'm the champion of the world. Me and Tom Asma are going to fight. Who wants to host this fight? Saudi Arabia? He was like, I want to host that fight.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I want to pay you 25 million. I'll pay you 25 million.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And then, you know, I'll do all the rest of the stuff. Jon Jones and Tom Aswan goes, 25

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

million sound good to me. I don't know what Dana White gonna pay you, but I'm gonna get 25 million, right?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

There should be like a free agency market where it's like, hey, I'm Demetrius Johnson. I'm looking to defend my belt for the 12th time. My challenger is going to be him. Cerule, we're going to run it back. Who wants to, you know, cater this? Who wants to own this? Because that's how it is in boxing, right? You see Javonte Davis, you see Floyd Mayweather, you see all the, you know, at the time. That's why it's Mayweather Promotions.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Correct.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And they may wear. The promotion is like, hey, who's going to host me? It's going to be hbo, it's going to be Showtime, it's going to be Cinemax. Who's going to be hbo? You got it. Okay. This is what I want. In mixed Martial arts, we don't have that. They get to dictate you sign a contract, they get to dictate where you fight, how much it is, all that stuff. So I would say that.

[Interviewer/Host]

Do you think McGregor will fight again?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

When I see the old Conor and how he was moving, he was like,

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

just, it's just like, what happened there?

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

So beautiful.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

What happened? What happened. Right. But, you know, but you talk about

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Connor and, and, and it's really like getting that fire back.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

But I also look at Israel Adesanya.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I look at Volk, I look at Kamara Usman, Henry Cejudo, and for some reason in the sport, it's almost like the guys are rising and then all of a sudden, boom, boom, they fall off a cliff. And it's two things. Why do you think that's happening? And do you think guys like that can get it back on track?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

So I think there's two things, Two

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

things that I think you can agree with me on this, is that as an athlete, as we age, we don't recover, we're not as fast, we don't see things.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And you're seeing these guys on not a decline, but they're starting to lose.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I just think mixed martial arts is a young man's game. It just is just like football is a young man's game. And I think for these athletes, you know, it's something that we don't know when to call it quit. Right. You know what I mean?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Like, I did, I was like, I'm out, I'm done. And can I still fight? Do I still move good? Absolutely. And I think that's the most important part, is that I can still do the sport.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I left it just like George St. Pierre. There's so many good athletes who fled it. Habib.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I'm older than him. I just saw him, I was like, oh, you're about 39.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He goes, no, brother, no, no, no, I'm. I'm 33.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, why the you so young?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He goes, and for him, he thought it was time for him to leave.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

And why hasn't it happened to. Why didn't it happen to you? Yeah, why didn't it happen to Jon Jones?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Like, I, I think it's because, you

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

know, I can't speak for Jon Jones and I. Well, I can't speak. I think Jon Jones is just one of a kind athlete for, like, what he's been able to accomplish. I always think Jon Jones is probably pound for pound, best fighter in the world. Like, when I watch him fight. I always see the things that he can do, and I'm like, oh, he can beat this guy if he wanted to. His structure, he's intelligent, and I think he also has an aura around him where people don't really take it to him. That's why I would say about him. But for me, I. I've always lived the same lifestyle from the day I started mixed martial arts to the day I left it. And that's like, I never forget when I got my first call to go fight for the big leagues, he was like, hey, can you come fight?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Can you come to Vegas to fight?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And I was like, I got to see if I get time off from work. I got.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I got to go check with my boss.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Check my boss. He says, yes. And throughout all my career, you know, I wouldn't my fight, go home, take care of the kids. Pressure, wash the fence. Go fight, Go back home, take care of the kids. So I've always had that lifestyle, and I've taken time off of my training camps when I wasn't ready for a fight. And then when I get back in training camp, my coach was always forcing me to evolve into something different, and that's what kept me on top for the longest. And genetically, I was able to stay healthy.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

How did losing your sister really impact you as a fighter? And just even outside the cage, there's two parts.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I felt like, you can die peacefully or you can die tragically, right? And I think seeing that and then coming home and, you know, I was always in training camp, always. Wife's pregnant. She gives birth to our first. All right, babe. I love you. Good job. Dab it up. I grew up the street, and I fight. Then she gives birth to Maverick. I leave again. I go fight. Then I fight Henry Cejudo. She's pregnant. I lose that fight, I go to the hospital, she gives birth to her. I'm like, I'm always training. Then my sister, I never forget coming home from training one night and I get a call from my mom. She never really calls me. We have a unique relationship or a different relationship. She calls me, goes, hey, Meaty, you need to come to the hospital. Lenny ain't gonna make it.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I'm like, what the is going on?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Like, granted, she's going through alcoholism and all that stuff. Show up, she's on the bed, and she ends up dying at night. And I come home and called my coach. I'm like, hey, I'm not gonna make training today. He goes, what's up? I was like, I go bury my sister. She died last night. He goes, oh. He goes, I'm sorry. And I sat down. I'm like, man, I'm always in training. I'm always training. And then I was always perfectly training, did everything, was so disciplined. And then me and her, we went out to eat and then we came home and I was like, I'm tired of being perfect. Like, we're all gonna die eventually, so I might as well just enjoy my life and not put so much pressure and stress on myself when I go to compete. And so then that's when I, you know, thc then next, you know, we're about to go to. There was a concert with my favorite band, and I was like, man, I

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

really want to go to that band, but I don't want to.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

You know, I'm in training camp and it was like a week before I was going out to Singapore to fight. Went out there, had a beer, had a fried chicken sandwich.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was like, if this mother knocked me out again because of this sandwich, he deserved to knock the out. And I ate it and had a beer. And then it just opened my life

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

and just kind of like, just opened my. My mind, essentially.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

That's awesome.

[Interviewer/Host]

Your wife who's here today with you, what role has she played in your success? Because it sounds like when you were fighting, training, she was holding down the fort that who home, raising the kids, all of that. So I guess, kind of. How much has her support meant to you?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Oh, I mean, it's. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. Like Bendigo, since my second amateur fight and like helping me realize certain things in life and how to. I mean, words can't describe, like, what she's been to me, right? And even now, like, helping me navigate this new part of my career and navigating, even retiring, like making the best decision not just for me, but for. For us and our children and raising my kids and. Yeah, I mean, she's been a huge, huge rock in my life. Not just my career, but just in life in general. I lost my sister and just seeing how a family's supposed to be, right, you know, because come from my family, it was me, my brother, my sister, my mom, no dad, no dads, essentially. And you know how Christmas is, how Thanksgiving is just mind blowing of like, no, this is what we do for Christmas. We all get together, you know, I'm like, really? I never did this. We just sit there playing video games all day. I mean, it's just night day different and I love her for it.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And even now in this navigation, you

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

know, we're on this trip and I hated traveling.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I hated it.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I was like, what do I gotta go here for? He goes, well, you gotta go do

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

this and do this.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

This is like the ufc. I'm like, oh, boring. All right, I'll go do it. I'll land. I'll be in the hotel room like this, playing video games the whole entire time.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Like, Mar's like, have you seen anything? I was like, nope, don't care, dude. Just want to get back home.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And then now we love. I love travel. I love embracing the cult. Like, when you go to Thailand, Japan, like, when we came to Louis here, we walked, I think seven miles yesterday, embracing the culture of what Louisiana could bring to you. And she's opened my eyes to that. And also, like, teaching me, like, doesn't hurt to try. Like, if you try and you fail. Okay, but so you failed, right?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And she's trying to help me with my, you know, my swag. Trying to get all like, oh, man, it's so stressful trying to find the

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

right thing to wear.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

What do you think about this? And she goes, I mean, it's good. And I'm like, nah, it's too much. She goes, she goes, you. You can wear that, baby. I don't know. I'm like, I don't know. She goes, and now what's this new.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And it's the hunting.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

The hunting print. Like, people. What's that?

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

Camo.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Camo.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

You mean the camo?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

The camo. She. She's like. She. She's like, it's in right now, babe. I'm like, he's about to go hunting. That's why he's wearing it.

[Interviewer/Host]

She.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

She goes, no, it's in. I'm. I'm like, this fashion, so. I love her to death.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

She's been my rock. And now it's, you know, this whole trip I've been fact checking her.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

She goes, I don't know why you be. You know. She goes, I said, that's what it is. And I was like, I gotta fact check you. I can't let you think you know everything, baby. She goes, okay, what are you gonna learn?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I'm like, but she's my best friend.

[Interviewer/Host]

She does know everything.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Yeah, I know.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I know.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

It's great to hear you talk about your wife like that, because I feel like in. In today's age, it's become uncool how you feel about the woman that's really helped you through everything and been by your side and that you're building that empire with. I know you mentioned about your upbringing and having no fathers. How did that impact you as a father and especially as a black father, being there for your kids?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, that's huge right there.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

You know, growing up, it was very

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

weird because I never saw my mom love another man, right? So many different, you know, not many different men. But I've seen her, like, she was always with military man, and I've seen her be abused by men, and it

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

was something that was just never around.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

So for me to find father figures, I would always, you know, attach myself to my. My friends fathers, essentially. Like my. One of my best friends, Jordan. Jordan Schaller. His dad, Daniel Schaller, he was amazing husband. I thought he was not the. Another black man as well. And he would wash dishes every night. And that's one thing I took from him. He was like. I was like, you know, he'd be washing dishes as we eat dinner. He goes, if a woman's gonna spend all day cleaning and cooking over the stove, the least you can do is get your lazy ass up.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I might be putting y' all on my dog house.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I might learn something here, right?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

But he goes. He was like, least thing you do, he goes, the last least thing you

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

do is get him and wash these mother dishes, right? So.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And then I grew up watching my

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

mom wash dishes because she never had a husband. So now I, you know, for 18 years, me and my wife and the girl, I always wash dishes. I refuse to dishwash her. Like, I hate that.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I hate the dishwasher as well.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

But now me, we good. We good.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

He ain't leaking anymore, right? So that's one thing I took from him.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And, like, I never forget, we were

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

going to school one day, and she went fishing in the morning.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

So she took the boat out, she

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

went fishing, and she came home with a cooler full of fish.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

And this man was out there gutting

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

that fish for her. And while she went to bed and slept.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

So I saw how I kind of

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

got a vision how to treat a woman essentially. Now, having, you know, being married and having my own kids, it was almost kind of like, how do I navigate this, right? Because, you know, I saw what, you know, Daniel did. How do I navigate this with my children? There's no instruction to raising these little bastards, right? They are.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Each one of them are totally different, right? You have your favorites. It always circles.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

No one admits it, but, yes, there is.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah, there is.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I tell them all the time. I love, like, right now, you don't even like this one. But my wife's like, we can't do that because they're all growing.

[Interviewer/Host]

But.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

And especially for me, being a black father, it's like. It's very stereotypical for where I come

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

from, where usually a black man, he's

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

just going around, just laying the pipe everywhere and just having kids all over the place.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

It's something that we have to fight against.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Yeah.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

1,000%. And I think for me to, like, you know, I feel proud to be that person in the forefront, like, saying, like, not like, I'm married, take care of my kids. I get into school. There is no infidelity. Or isn't me running around like, this is.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I was told, tell my wife, and I tell everybody this.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

I was like, you know, I'm sure there's another handsome, you know, black gentleman out there who's probably six, two, that my wife might find. He looked handsome.

[Show Announcer]

What?

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Right.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

I'm just saying, like, it's. She's like, no, for example. Or like, for me. But there's never gonna be another woman

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

out there that can replace my wife because she's giving me three children. Right. Like what we built. Like no other woman. I don't care how hot you are,

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

whatever it is, there's nothing you can

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

do that's ever gonna trap what my wife has done for me and what we built together. Right. And so.

[Interviewer/Host]

And it's a good thing your wife's hot. So.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Yeah.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Yeah.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Exactly. Right?

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

Yeah.

[Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]

Appreciate that. Yeah.

[Demetrious Johnson (continuation or emphasis)]

So for me, nice job, baby. So for me. So for me, it's like, I. I would be weird.

[Robert Griffin III (RG3)]

I was. I was just gonna sit here.