Is Demetrious Johnson the Best MMA Fighter of All Time?
Posted: August 16, 2017
Updated: October 4, 2017
Is Demetrious Johnson the best MMA fighter in the history of the sport? In this article we discuss that, and take a look at the odds for his upcoming fight with Ray Borg.
After more than five years dominating the UFC’s flyweight division, many are under the impression that Demetrious Johnson is the greatest MMA fighter we’ve ever seen. He’s already defended his belt 10 times, and will break the record for defenses if he can get past Ray Borg later this month in Canada.
Johnson may not have the fan base that fighters like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones possess, but he’s without a doubt at the top of the pound for pound rankings. Is Demetrious Johnson the best MMA fighter of all time? Let’s discuss it.
Rise up the flyweight division
For the first five years of his professional MMA career, Demetrious Johnson competed at 135 pounds. He was oversized by every single opponent he faced, though his technique and discipline have allowed him to accumulate a 14-2 record including a title fight against Dominick Cruz.
Johnson vs. Borg betting odds
- Demetrious Johnson: 1/10
- Ray Borg: 6/1
After the loss to Cruz, the UFC opted to open the 125 pound division, and it took Johnson less than a year to make UK gambling news by winning the championship. In his first title defenses he fought and defeated John Dodson, John Moraga, and Joseph Benavidez, the latter of which he managed to defeat with a first round KO.
He’s since won 7 more straight fights, with 3 wins coming by decision, 3 by decision, and 1 by TKO. Is Demetrious Johnson the best fighter of all time? Well, his unique ability to win fights in a variety of different ways certainly lends credit to the idea.
Who else is in the discussion for best fighter?
Of course, trying to discuss who is the best MMA fighter of all time is never easy. Many fighters have made their argument for being the best, and even today a number of them are still competing and can still be considered the greatest.
Perhaps the most obvious fighter here is Jon Jones. The light heavyweight phenom won the championship at just 23 years of age, and successfully defended his belt 8 times before having it stripped due to out of the cage incidents. Jon is always listed as a favorite with sites like BetVictor Sportsbook when he fights, and many fans and analysts believe he’s the best to ever do it.
Another option is Conor McGregor. Despite a number of incredible performances against legendary fighters and becoming the only man to win 2 belts simultaneously, he doesn’t seem to be considered in the best of all time category. Granted, he’s never actually defended and of his titles, but if he comes back to MMA and gets a few wins, it’s likely he’ll be in that conversation of the best to ever do it.
Bet on Johnson vs. Borg online
On September 9th, Demetrious Johnson will be looking to break the title defense record when he takes on Ray Borg. It should be a great fight, and nearly all online sportsbooks in the UK have already set the odds for who will come out on top. With a win, the question of “is Demetrious Johnson the best fighter ever” might finally be answered.
Understandably, Johnson is the massive MMA betting favorite. He’s undefeated at 125 pounds with victories against some of the best fighters in the division. At the moment, Johnson’s odds to beat Borg are set at 1/10, according to BetVictor Sportsbook.
Ray Borg is still extremely young at just 24 years old, but he’s a viable contender coming off 2 wins over solid competition. Borg’s a pressure fighter with a solid ground game which seems to have been the only way to beat Johnson in the past. Can he beat arguably the best fighter of all time? That remains to be seen. At the moment, Borg’s odds to beat Johnson are set at 6/1.
Is Demetrious Johnson the best fighter of all time? Tell us what you think in the comment section below, and make sure to head to BetVictor Sportsbook to find a full list of 2017 MMA betting odds.