"DJ was on my wish list" - Joshua Pacio rues missed chance to fight his idol Demetrious Johnson
Like most MMA fighters in the lower weight classes, Joshua Pacio also dreams of one day sharing the Circle with the legendary Demetrious Johnson.
Unfortunately for the ONE strawweight MMA world champion, that will no longer be possible after 'Mighty Mouse' officially retired from the sport in an emotional ceremony at ONE 168: Denver earlier this month.
Pacio has long been vocal about his affinity for Johnson, who set a standard of greatness not just in his division, but throughout the whole MMA scene.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, the Filipino star revealed he envisions himself moving to 135 pounds one day and was hoping to set a date with the GOAT candidate. 'The Passion' shared:
"It's unfortunate that I didn't get to fight him. I always knew I would eventually move up to flyweight, and DJ was on my wish list. Now that he's retired, I missed that chance, but I'm completely okay with it.”
It is worth noting that Pacio's Lions Nation MMA teammate Danny Kingad matched up with DJ back at ONE Century Part I in 2019. Demetrious Johnson won the Flyweight World Grand Prix Final by edging out 'The King' after three rounds.
Johnson's moving retirement speech at ONE 168: Denver is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Joshua Pacio thanks Demetrious Johnson for his contributions to MMA
Joshua Pacio wouldn't have become an MMA world champion if not for those who paved the way for him. Among those is Demetrious Johnson, who inspired him to chase after his dream.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for DJ. He’s one of the fighters I’ve always looked up to, alongside Anderson Silva, who is my ultimate MMA idol," he told Sportskeeda MMA.
The strawweight MMA kingpin added:
"DJ truly stands out as one of the best and has set a high standard for every athlete in the sport."