Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson recently gave advice to Mario Bautista ahead of his fight with Umar Nurmagomedov. The two bantamweights will meet at UFC 321 tomorrow at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Nurmagomedov enters as the heavy favorite. He’s looking to bounce back after his loss to Merab Dvalishvili. ‘Young Eagle’ wants a decisive win, so he can earn another title shot against the winner of Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan.
Johnson urged Bautista to trust his skills. He warned not to get distracted by Nurmagomedov’s famous family name. ‘Mighty Mouse’ believes many of ‘Young Eagle’s past opponents lost focus by thinking too much about Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Johnson advised Bautista no show too much respect for Nurmagomedov.
“People kind of get kind of aura-shy. They’re like, ‘Oh man, this is a Nurmagomedov, he trains with Khabib.’ They kind of get googly eyes. You see a lot of guys do that when it comes to Anderson Silva back in the day,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “When people fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, they’re like, ‘He’s supposed to take me down, so I’m just gonna accept that position.’ They have too much respect for the name.”
He added:
“If you allow [Nurmagomedov] to dictate what’s going to happen in the fight, then you’re always gonna be one step behind,” Johnson said. “If you jump into the fight before he does, he’s gonna be one step behind.”
Demetrious Johnson Praises Mario Bautista Ahead of Umar Nurmagomedov Fight
Johnson also praised Mario Bautista‘s recent performances and believes he is often overlooked. He believes Bautista deserves more respect ahead of his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov.
Bautista, ranked No. 9, comes into the fight on an eight-fight winning streak. His streak includes wins over former featherweight champion Jose Aldo and former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix.
In his UFC 321 preview, Johnson praised Bautista for his rise up the bantamweight rankings. ‘Mighty Mouse’ even admitted that his performances have made him a believer.
“A lot of people did not put respect on [Bautista’s] name, I was one of them,” Johnson said. “[Bautista] has proven to be somebody that you cannot just look past. I put respect on Mario Bautista’s name.”
Johnson Highlights Path To Victory for Nurmagomedov
Johnson also shared his thoughts on how Nurmagomedov can win at UFC 321. He’s excited to see ‘Young Eagle’ return to the octagon and is eager to see how he performs.
Johnson described Nurmagomedov as a complete fighter. While known for his grappling, ‘Young Eagle’ also has solid striking skills.
Johnson believes Nurmagomedov’s grappling will be key. He suggested Nurmagomedov should keep Bautista on defense and threaten with constant takedowns.
“Definitely gonna look to see [Nurmagomedov] use that grappling ability against [Bautista]. Put Mario Bautista on his back,” Johnson said. “Once [Bautista] starts engaging in a standup, you change the scenery, meaning we’re going to clinch.”
He added:
“Once [Bautista] starts engaging in the wrestling, you always change the art that you’re using.”
Johnson ended his breakdown by predicting that Nurmagomedov will win the fight and have his hand raised.
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