“I Got Offered 2 Million Dollars” – Demetrious Johnson Reacts as Dana White Faces Dilemma Over Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC 310 Callout

Alexandre Pantoja delivered a masterclass performance at UFC 310, solidifying his status as one of the flyweight division’s elite. Facing a tough and determined challenger in Kai Asakura, Pantoja showcased his well-rounded skill set, blending crisp striking with exceptional grappling control. From the outset, he dictated the pace, landing precise combinations and securing timely takedowns to dominate the fight.

However, the Brazilian ended the fight in the second round with submission via RNC, thus maintaining his winning run. With this victory, he has wiped out virtually everyone in the division and fans want to see him take on Demetrious Johnson next. But what does the former UFC champion think about it? Let us find out.

Demetrious Johnson has no plans of returning to fighting as revealed by him

UFC CEO Dana White during the post-fight press conference was asked the same question. On being asked whether he would entertain the fight his response was, ‘I don’t know’.  He further added, “It’s interesting. I was the one beating the drums around Demetrious Johnson a long time ago”. ‘Mighty Mouse’ took to his X account to answer the champion call out and it seems fans might never see the fight ever. He tweeted, “Guys I got offered 2 million dollars to fight !! I turned it down, I don’t care to fight anymore, YouTube video dropping soon. ” 

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is widely regarded as the greatest 125-pound fighter in MMA history, with many even considering him the overall GOAT. However, Alexandre Pantoja has a different opinion. In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Pantoja boldly declared himself the GOAT and challenged Johnson to return to the UFC and prove him wrong. The catch, of course, is that Johnson is retired making such a fight unlikely to happen. However, the current flyweight champion has been wanting to face Johnson for a long period now.

Pantoja extended his winning streak to six with a dominant performance at UFC 301, after successfully defending his title for the second time against Steve Erceg in his last appearance. The victory was especially sweet for Pantoja, as it came in front of his passionate hometown crowd in Brazil. If he continues his dominance, he might be on the heels of Demetrious Johnson’s untouched legacy. However, after the fight during an interview with Ariel Helwani on MMA Hour, the Brazilian showed nothing but respect for the former UFC champion.

Alexandre Pantoja has nothing but respect for Demetrious Johnson 

After Pantoja’s latest victory, Helwani addressed a statement that had not been properly translated during a press conference. It appeared that Pantoja had called for a fight with Demetrious Johnson, and Helwani took the opportunity to clarify his words. However, the Brazilian made it clear as to what he exactly meant. He said, “He’s the GOAT, you know? How can I not say that? I think right now, after two title defenses, I can speak a little bit about that,”. He then pointed out that he has nothing but respect for ‘Mighty Mouse’ and for the accolades he has achieved in his career.

He said, “I have huge respect for Demetrious Johnson. I can’t compare myself to him. I think right now, we can say something because I have more coins to put on the table. I think that’s a dream for me.” Johnson has also had a keen eye on Pantoja’s performance and the champion failed to impress him after his UFC 301 victory. During his podcast on his YouTube channel, ‘Mighty Mouse’ broke down his fight and said, “I didn’t feel like Alex Pantoja was a better fighter… if you keep him away from his grappling… you can take advantage of him,”. While Johnson has announced his retirement from MMA, he is actively competing in BJJ and has won several medals in his post-MMA career.

Well, the fans would love to see these two compete inside the Octagon for once. But the big question is will Demetrious Johnson come out of retirement for this particular fight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.