"I'm always striving to be that perfect martial artist" - Demetrious Johnson carrying same MMA mentality to jiu-jitsu

While Demetrious Johnson's unmatched combat skills made him an all-time MMA great, it's truly his psychological strength that sets him apart.

The 37-year-old legend never ceases to amaze, as evidenced by his recent exploits in the IBJJF scene.

Ever the perfectionist, Johnson said it's his mission to pursue greatness in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, much like he did in mixed martial arts.

As remarkable as he already is, the American icon knows there's always room to get better.

The reigning ONE flyweight MMA world champion told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour:

​

"Even now, my coach goes, 'In your gi game, you're weak here. We're gonna work on that. Because somebody is going to see that and put you in that realm again'. So that's how my mind works.

'Mighty Mouse' continued:

​

"I came home, I just won fucking gold and my coach is like, 'Your game is weak'. I'm like, I'm gonna work on it. Let's work on it. I want my judo [to get] better. "I'm always striving to be that perfect martial artist, whether I'm winning or I'm losing."

Another reason why Demetrious Johnson is such a beloved figure is his humility. The consensus MMA GOAT is never afraid to put himself out there in his quest to be the best at whatever he does.

Here's Demetrious Johnson's appearance on The MMA Hour in its entirety:

Demetrious Johnson advocates for Gi jiu-jitsu in bigger stages

While BJJ has no doubt been accepted into the mainstream in recent years, it's clear that no-gi is still more popular than its more traditional counterpart.

Demetrious Johnson, who fell in love with the technicality of the gi, believes the craft needs to be more celebrated than it currently is. He said in the same interview:

​

"I think it will be great. I think the gi grapplers need to get paid more money. I think gi needs to be in bigger stages, personally."

​