Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrius Johnson recently opened up about his decision to decline a potential grappling match against Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Gabi Garcia. He talked about it during an episode of his Mighty podcast with guest Craig Jones.
When Jones brought up the topic of the Gabi Garcia match, Johnson’s response was immediate and candid: “Dude, she’s too big. This chocolate body cannot be tampered. I don’t want her smashing me. She almost had you. Even after you took that swig of Wesky, I was like, I don’t want none of those problems. I don’t want it at all.”
The size differential was clearly Johnson’s primary concern. At 5’3″ and 147 pounds, Johnson acknowledged the significant physical mismatch against Garcia, who is known for her imposing stature in women’s grappling.
“I think people don’t realize how small I am. I’m 5’3, right? 5’3, 147lbs. And then when they get next to me, they’re like, ‘Holy shit you are small.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know. But it’s okay. I pack a punch. A real big punch. You know what I mean?”
Despite his confidence in his abilities, Johnson expressed genuine respect for Garcia’s legendary status in the sport. “I don’t want to fight one of the legends of the game. I didn’t want to do that,” he explained.
When pressed further about whether the intimate nature of grappling might have been a factor, Johnson remained diplomatic but reiterated his physical concerns. He suggested that in a no-gi scenario, he might have a better chance: “I think I’ll probably get her in no gi, you know. I got to wait till she gets tired. Probably go underneath her elevator, you know, try to go for her feet, you know.”
Johnson’s tactical approach would have focused on using his speed and technique to target Garcia’s lower extremities while avoiding her superior size and strength advantages. However, he remained firm in his decision to avoid the matchup entirely.
