UFC Exclusive: Charles Johnson Said He Wasn't Ready for Ranking: 'It Lit a Fire'

Charles Johnson wants to show the world what he can do against ranked competitors. However, it appears that UFC Flyweight still has work to do to get there.

After losing three fights in a row, Johnson, 33, regains momentum at 125 pounds, bouncing Azat Maksum from the ranks of the undefeated earlier this year before nearly stopping Jake Hadley en route to his second straight victory at the UFC St. Louis.

UFC News: Local hero Charles Johnson crushes opponent en route to upset victory

“I’m happy about it. I think it was a great night for everyone involved,” Johnson, a St. Louis native, recently told MMA Knockout. “For me, it’s just a reminder that, all this preparation, all this work and everything I put into this camp, I have to maintain what I’m doing. I feel good. And it was a moment strong, it was a good moment and it’s a reminder of the lowest moments I’ve experienced. So I just try to stay on top of everything and focus on the next moment to create.

With this victory, things started to look up for Johnson, who recently signed a new contract with the UFC. The flyweight prospect is reportedly asking for a ranked opponent, with interest in contenders like Tim Elliott, Matt Schnell and Sumudaerji for his next fight. However, the UFC does not want to give him the opportunity yet.

“Right now, man, I’m being told I’m not ready for a ranking, no matter how anyone else feels, no matter how the fans feel, no matter what happened. I’ve been told that I’m not ready for a ranking, never mind the fact that I fought the number one contender (Muhammad Mokaev) to a decision in the past, never mind that I fought these ranked guys and they are ranked now I’m being told I’m not ready for a ranking, it’s up to me to come out here and show that I am.

“It looks like they’re going to force me to fight one more person before I have the opportunity to enter the rankings. I don’t agree with that, but at the end of the day, I have no power So all I can do is use what little power I have, and when I step into the cage, what little control I have That’s the only time I can. control anything in the world and then the cage door closes. So that’s what I’m focusing on to become a world champion, and I’m going to work hard for the next time I go in there because. It lit a fire under me.”

“I’m pretty upset if I’m being honest,” Johnson expressed his frustration. “I know what I’m worth and I don’t feel like I’m valued as much in the promotion as what I am. And so it’s up to me to show once again, to people, to someone one who doesn’t believe that I’m ready for something that I know that I am… After I win my next fight it will be a three fight winning streak and hopefully we get the number we were looking for.

As for Johnson’s next fight, the former LFA Flyweight Champion wanted to return as quickly as UFC 303 on June 29, but that didn’t come to fruition as Johnson was offered a fight on August 10 instead. The timing didn’t work out for Johnson and he will now likely wait until the fall for his return.

A ranking in the UFC Flyweight division isn’t the only thing Johnson has been chasing since his 2022 debut. Johnson has been on the road to gold, eyeing the coveted championship long before arriving at the doors of the Octagon .

Although the unranked contender still has a ways to go to challenge for the title, Johnson believes the flyweight division is very different from other weight classes in the UFC and thinks that shows with the way Steve Erceg , ranked 10th, almost dethroned champion Alexandre Pantoja in the UFC. 301 in May.

“I think the unranked guys can fight Pantoja today and give him a hard time,” Johnson continued. “Not even me, you know, like Azat (Maksum), he’s going to give Pantoja a tough fight today. I think flyweight is one of those special weight classes where everyone is good and that’s a very small, very small gap between what you have to do to win a fight and lose a fight That’s kind of what was shown with the Erceg fight You can come in, be unranked, fight a guy. , number 10, then win a decision, then get another finish and be dragged into a title fight, right? nothing overtaking anyone and I think it’s just about getting finishes.

“They want to see guys finish and have exciting fights. I think the only thing that separates me from those things is finishing. It’s a little difficult when I’m fighting against a lot of wet blankets and guys not hitting back at me, it’s holding and gaining positions, but it’s up to me to continue to improve and try to open up the gap with these guys.

A style better equipped for five rounds than the standard three. Johnson says, “If these fights didn’t have a time limit, I would never lose,” and knows exactly what he will do against champion Pantoja if he makes it to the title. protest and the Brazilian stands the test of time.

What would winning a UFC world title mean for “the pride of St. Louis”? That’s a question best left for later, but Charles Johnson spoke about the importance of realizing such a dream.

“I’m really emotional about it because I’m working really hard,” Johnson said of the UFC championship. “I feel like I didn’t have the same opportunities as the other guys and that sucks. But I also have to own my losses and I have to own what I did. So, I just gotta focus on the next thing I’m so excited, I’m not angry, but I’m pissed and I’m ready for the next thing and I’m always ready to fight.

“I just hate having to wait because I know how I feel right now. I know I can finish a lot of guys in this division. I know I’ll beat most of these guys in the division most nights. I I’m excited to keep improving, man, and to come back and win a belt one day, I already know I will, man, it’s like it’s in my heart. I always thought, I was successful on a sporting level, I accomplished so, for the moment, it’s just a matter of time for me.”

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