Author: Monojit Mandal
In an unexpected twist, former NBA star James Johnson declared his ambition to challenge UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, claiming he could win after just one year of intense preparation.
Johnson, who is an intimidating 6’10” and weighs 250 kg, made this brazen statement after leaving the Indiana Pacers earlier this year. Despite the fact that he is without a club in the NBA, he is confident in his skills and his ability to fight Jones, who is considered one of the best fighters in UFC history.
Johnson is a black belt in karate and has an undefeated record in kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA). He even claimed to have competed in amateur MMA fights during his senior year of high school and at the beginning of college. However, due to the lack of official documents or substantial evidence about these supposed battles, skepticism surrounds these claims, increasing doubts about their veracity.
In addition, Johnson’s desire to pursue a professional basketball career and obtain a full scholarship make it seem unlikely that he would engage in such risky extracurricular activities. However, coming from a family with a strong karate lineage, he remains undaunted in his belief that, with committed groundwork, he can overcome the current UFC champion.
Johnson discussed his ambitions on the podcast “NBA Rookie Life with Ryan Hollins”, saying: “I rock with [Jon] Jones”. To fight Jones, I would need a year’s preparation. My stand-up game is incredible, but we all know about Jones – he’s a college wrestler who is tremendously skilled on the ground, which is not the case with me.“
He later admitted the disparity in their abilities, saying: “I can control myself on the ground, but to get to his level? I’m not there yet. To keep the battle standing, I’d need a year to perfect my methods of counterattack and defense. I really feel I can beat him, but it will take a year of focused defensive preparation, specifically on ground defense.”
When James Johnson begins his arduous journey from the courts of the NBA to the merciless octagon of the UFC, the sports world waits to see whether his grandiose ambitions will come true or remain in the realm of implausible dreams.