Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson was not kidding when he said last year that he could beat UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones in an MMA match.
Although James has a legit combat sports background, many didn't think he was serious when he claimed that he would beat the GOAT of mixed martial arts in his own discipline. But during Johnson's recent appearance on The OGs Show, the 16th overall of the 2009 NBA draft insisted that he was serious when he said that.
"I truly, truly believe that. I'm not just talking to rap," said Johnson. "I've been doing this my whole life," declared Johnson. Like real training would really be for that ground work. But as far as standing up and fighting, I feel like I got an advantage."
Johnson was born to a MMA family
When the 6'7" forward said he's been into martial arts his whole life, he literally meant it. James' father was a seven-time world kickboxing champion, while his mother was a five-time national winner. Both his parents and his 8 siblings are black belts in martial arts.
Johnson fought his first MMA fight at the age of 18 and amassed a 7-0 record. However, aside from MMA, he also fought as a kickboxer and has a 21-0 record in the sport. This kickboxing background is why he believes he has the edge over Jones in a stand-up battle.
One of Jon's advantages over UFC opponents is his 84.5-inch reach, which enables him to paw at his opponents with ease. But at 6'7", Johnson stands three inches taller than Jones. Although there is no information on how long his reach is, Bloodsport has a wingspan of seven feet, which is longer than most people his size.
MMA also includes grappling and wrestling
But then, MMA is more than striking with the hands and feet. That's why when Johnson said last year that he could beat Jones in a real fight , he admitted that he needed one year to train for grappling and ground defense.
"I think I could beat him (Jones) for real," Johnson said on Ryan Hollins' NBA Rookie Life show. "With a year of training defense, I just need ground defense… I've been punching and kicking since I was five, six years old."
A fight between Johnson and Jones would be interesting, although Bones would definitely be the heavy favorite. However, as we've seen in the UFC, it only takes one good strike to end a fight. And we'd like to say that Johnson has a chance. It's more likely, however, that Jones dominates him on the mat, as one can't grow MMA takedown defense in a year.
Related: “I’ve seen him knock out three dudes at one time, knock out a seven-footer” – Jeff Teague on how lethal James Johnson is
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